<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Ascend to Summer by Miajah</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25237495">Ascend to Summer</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miajah/pseuds/Miajah'>Miajah</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Fall Into Winter [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Accords as a plot point, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Drama &amp; Romance, Dramatic trash, F/M, How did this become a pregnancy fic, M/M, Multi, Smut in the first chapter because I'm good to you</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 03:42:00</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>32,590</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25237495</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miajah/pseuds/Miajah</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“What if you’re jumping to conclusions?” Mae heard Bucky talking as she stepped out of the elevator. “It’s a big decision-”</p><p>“And if I’m not? Could we live with doing nothing?” Steve asked in return.</p><p>“Could you live with the alternative?”</p><p>________________________________________</p><p>It should have been the three of them, a home in Brooklyn and good life. But that wasn't enough and it left her standing in the dust of what used to be.</p><p>________________________________________</p><p>This is part three of a series - highly suggest you read the first one before this.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers/Original Female Character(s), Tony Stark/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Fall Into Winter [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1767529</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>98</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>162</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello and welcome back!<br/>As promised it's going to be drama and sadness, if you're new here consider reading at least the first in the series before this one so it all makes a bit more sense.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Mae waited patiently in the embarkment room, checking her phone every couple of minutes for the time. She had been working in the lab, finalising the second version of Tony’s nano-suit when Jarvis interrupted to inform her that the Avengers were fifteen minutes away from the tower. From the moment the A.I told her, she was unable to focus, too excited for their arrival.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Quinjet landed smoothly, startling a couple of stubborn birds from the platform, their wings beating frantically as they flew out over the New York skyline. The rear door opened and the ramp descended, revealing the tired figures of the Avengers. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As Steve and Bucky stepped off the Quinjet Mae bounced on the balls of her feet. They had been on a long mission again, only a week this time but Mae had felt every minute of it. Bucky spied Mae through the large glass doors and smiled brightly, waving at her before the doors to the glass hallway that connected the embarkment room and the platform opened up, letting them into the building. Mae pressed the button to open up her side of the hallway, bolting out of the embarkment room and rushing to Bucky who was a good few metres in front of Steve. With a grin he held his arms out, catching her as she launched herself at him, his arms holding tight as she wrapped her legs around him and kissed him deeply.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why don’t I get a greeting like that?” Clint pouted from behind Bucky as they continued inside. Mae kissed Bucky again and again, bringing a deep laugh from the man as he carried her back into the building. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s this?” Mae asked as she ran her hands along the thick stubble that was fast turning into a beard. He squinted his eyes adorably as she roughed up his facial hair, his arms underneath her arse to support her so she could have both hands free to lavish attention on him. “Is this for me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It can be, doll.” Bucky chuckled, halting in the embarkment room and waiting for Steve to catch up. “Do you like it longer?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You look like a vagabond.” Mae said. “I love it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What about me?” Steve asked and stepped in close, gaining her attention and kissing her as deeply as Bucky had. Steve had also grown the beginning of a beard over the week and Mae was enjoying running her fingers along it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mmm, I’ll have to decide later.” Mae teased and he acted with mock offense. “There is a surprise for you upstairs.” She said and the two of them grinned widely.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It can’t be you laying on the bed and dressed in nothing but a ribbon because you’re here.” Bucky teased with a wink and Mae chuckled, slapping his shoulder playfully. “What do you reckon it is, Steve?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You mean that whole ribbon thing is off the table?” Steve asked as he pressed the button for the elevator, the doors opening immediately. Bucky put Mae onto her feet and ushered her in, driving her into Steve’s open arms.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shower first, though.” Mae said firmly and the men had no protests. They were definitely smelling a bit ripe, but that didn’t stop her from crushing her cheek against Steve’s chest. Nothing short of being on fire would pry her from him right now, not after missing him for a week.  “Do you need sleep?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nope,” Bucky said with a pop. “Although, I wouldn’t object to not having to go anywhere for the next thirty hours.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can do,” Mae said and bounced out of the elevator, ushering them to the bathrooms as they looked about and wondered what Mae had done. “Stop peeking, go get clean!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Come join us,” Steve said slyly and she pushed him towards the bedrooms, he pressed his lips to hers in a longing kiss and Mae considered giving in for a moment.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Captain America, you are filthy! Think of your public image.” Mae giggled, moving him along.<br/></span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bucky and Steve emerged out of the bedroom in sweats and old shirts, looking entirely domestic and ready to flop on the couch. As they did, Mae carried out four boxes of pizza and placed them on the coffee table, drawing them to it like a magnet. They may have had superhuman metabolisms, but that didn’t mean that they could just sit down and eat junk food all the time. Bucky had been reminiscing about a pizza place that was around back in the 40’s and when Mae looked it up she was surprised to find it still operating, so when she got news that they were coming home, she was straight onto the phone with the restaurant.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh my god that smells good.” Bucky moaned as he flopped on the couch and flipped open the pizza lid. “How do you know exactly what I want every time we come home?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m just good like that.” Mae handed Bucky a beer before handing one to Steve. The two of them sinking further into the couch with a moan of comfort. “And the constant texts from the both of you. I’m always surprised SHIELD lets you send messages on a mission.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They don’t always.” Steve said with a chuckle. “Bucky just likes to disobey orders.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“From SHIELD, anyway.” Bucky drawled and then winked at Mae who narrowed her eyes at him but couldn’t resist the smile growing on her lips. Mae picked up the remote and flicked on the television, the opening scene of Casablanca began and the two men’s focus was on the movie immediately. Mae would have thought that just after coming back from a mission that watching something like that would have been too heavy to consider, but they enjoyed it, even though they’d seen the movie over twenty times. Bucky and Steve grabbed some pizza and bit into their slices, the both of them pausing and giving each other curious looks before the realisation hit them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh my god-” Bucky said and looked to Mae.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This is-” Steve said and was cut off by Bucky.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How is it the </span>
  <em>
    <span>same</span>
  </em>
  <span>?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Because the same family owns the restaurant still.” Mae said and chuckled at their dumbfounded faces. “See, not everything has changed.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This is amazing.” Steve said before looking up to Mae. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>You’re</span>
  </em>
  <span> amazing.” Mae gave him a kiss on the cheek before sitting on the couch between them. Bucky raised his arm to put around her shoulders and Steve scooped her leg up to hook over his own, both of them settling down into comfort to eat and watch the movie.<br/></span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey,” Bucky whispered in her ear, stirring Mae awake. She had fallen asleep on the couch between the two of them, her head resting on Bucky’s shoulder. She felt his thumb trace along her lower lip before he leaned in for a gentle kiss, his stubble grazing along her skin as he did. “I think it’s time for bed, love.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No,” Mae protested weakly as she yawned. “I’m not tired.” Bucky chuckled as Steve stood and started to clear the table of the remaining dinner. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m glad to hear it,” Bucky said lowly and kissed her again, leaving a trail along her neck before biting lightly and coaxing a sigh of contentment from her, her skin tingling from his actions. “Because I wanted more of your attention.” She didn’t realise his hand was underneath her skirt until she felt the knuckle of his finger slide along the edge of her panties. Mae stretched and let out a long moan of satisfaction, arching her back and feeling Bucky slip his arm underneath to keep her close. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Couldn’t wait another five minutes, huh?” Steve scolded from the kitchen but he went unheard as Bucky pulled Mae’s panties to the side and ran his finger along her sex. Kissing her passionately, he slid his fingers home, bringing a girlish sound from her throat as she gripped onto his shoulders roughly. Mae felt a blush beginning on her cheeks as she smiled against his lips, Bucky had a tendency to need physical affection after a mission and it was usually something different from the steady and careful pace he usually tried to set, more urgent and exciting.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Should I take you to bed?” Mae asked teasingly and he smiled against her lips, his wolfish grin almost predatory as he shifted her until she was laying back, her legs held firmly around his waist.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No,” He reached down and flipped the button on his jeans, easing out his erection without bothering with removing his clothes. “I want you here,” he rasped and ran the head of his cock along her slit, “now.” He leaned in close, his cock pressing against her intimately as he paused, kissing along her cheek until his shuddering breath was close by her ear and whispering, “Please?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Insead if responding, Mae hitched her hips, forcing him into her and pulling a sharp gasp from him. He canted his hips, wasting no time in bracing himself on the arm of the couch and setting a pace that made Mae swear under her breath. His hair falling wildly from it’s tie, Bucky lifted himself up and gripped her hip with one hand and pulled off his shirt with the other, baring his chest without a break in the rhythm. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Slow down, Buck.” Steve said as he approached, reaching out to cup Bucky’s jaw and tilt his head up to kiss him deeply. “She’s not going to disappear.” Bucky scrunched his nose at Steve before turning his attention back to Mae, taking Steve’s advice and slowing down. Steve moved to the couch and easily lifted Mae’s shoulders free from the couch, sitting down and cradling her against his chest without interrupting Bucky. Mae moaned loudly at the new angle and Steve’s hand slipping beneath her bra to pinch at her nipples, his free hand undoing the clasp easily. He worked her shirt and bra from her, his hands roaming over her skin as he kissed and licked along each part of her he could easily reach. Mae reached out and grabbed his hand for something to anchor herself to, Bucky’s relentless driving into her making her mindless from pleasure, Steve pulled his hand free easily and gathered her wrists together, pinning them to her chest with one hand.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Does he feel good, love?” Steve asked, a whisper in her ear that made her skin break out in a shiver. Mae whimpered and nodded her head, lip bitten between her teeth as she watched Bucky with lidded eyes. Steve pinched at her nipple roughly, making her tense and arch against him, Bucky moaned throatily in response, watching the two of them closely. “Tell him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Christ</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Mae said beneath her breath, trying to meet Bucky’s thrusts as Steve’s hand travelled down her body. “Feels good-” Steve carefully slipped his finger close to where Bucky and Mae were joined, his attention on her clit. Mae was becoming overwhelmed, she was writhing, almost trying to pull away from the relentless sensations but their hands were firm and she couldn’t move, only be held and voice her pleasure at each apex, driving them on further. Mae cried out, so close to coming and Steve crushed his lips to hers, her moans muffled as his tongue slipped along hers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No,” Bucky said and gently pushed at Steve’s shoulder, “I want to hear her.” Steve broke free and gasped, his cheeks red as Mae let out a long moan. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“God, please-” Mae gasped, “harder-” Bucky responded, a grunt tearing from his throat as he worked her harder. Mae tensed in their arms, her whole body trembling as she came with a cry. Bucky tensed and swore, pulling out halfway and pinching at the base of his shaft with a furrowed look of concentration.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuck, fuck,” he whispered then let out a long breath, a hazy smile on his face. “That was close.” Steve chuckled and kissed Mae’s forehead, she was laying bonelessly against him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And unnecessary,” Steve said, “You should have just come.” Bucky shot him a grin and shrugged.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m exhausted, but I don’t want to finish yet.” Bucky said through heavy breaths and Steve snorted a laugh, picking Mae up easily as he stood. “Where are you going?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nevada.” Steve said sarcastically before nudging the bedroom door open and striding inside, Bucky close behind him and holding his jeans up as he walked. Steve put Mae on the mattress gently as she kissed him, her arms around his shoulders tightly and not wanting to let go as she giggled against his lips. Eventually she had to relinquish him so he could pull off his shirt, his hair mussed and grin wide as he threw it across the room in a show of un-Steve-like behaviour. Bucky stood by him, looking to shed the rest of his clothes when Steve reached out and pushed him onto the bed, Bucky landed beside Mae with an </span>
  <em>
    <span>oof</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Steve planting a hand on Bucky’s stomach to stop him from moving. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What the hell, Steve-” Bucky said but his protests were cut off by his own moan as Steve licked a thick stripe along Buck’s shaft, taking the man into his mouth with abandon. “Christ,” Bucky rasped and tangled his fingers in Steve’s short hair as the blonde bobbed and sucked relentlessly. “Jesus fucking Christ.” Steve tapped Bucky on his side in a warning not to blaspheme and Bucky bit his lip in an attempt to do what he was told. With a growl Bucky hitched his hips, fucking into Steve’s mouth until he was spilling into it, mouth parted in a soundless moan. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Swallowing thickly, Steve kissed Bucky’s hip with a smile, his friend too dazed to react. He turned his focus to Mae, his grin predatory as he shed himself of the rest of his clothes and crawled up the bed to her. As he reached for her Mae grabbed him by the shoulders, rolling him and pushing his back to the mattress before she straddled him, a glint of triumph in her eyes. Steve smiled sheepishly and Mae leaned down to kiss him, his hands running up and down her sides, feeling each dip and curve.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I missed you,” he mumbled against her lips, “every second.” Mae smiled and kissed him again, tempted to sink onto the heat of his body and sleep contentedly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you?” Mae asked teasingly and he hummed an affirmative, nodding. “Show me.” Mae tilted her hips, feeling his length press into her slowly as she sunk down. Steve let out a breathy moan, his hands flexing on her waist until she was completely seated. Mae set her own steady pace, rising and falling gently as her breath gradually came quicker and quicker, her heart pounding with each controlled moan Steve let past his lips. He looked completely scandalous, head thrown back and eyes lidded as he tried to keep his breath steady through parted lips. Mae ran a hand up along his unfairly perfect stomach, his abs tensing rhythmically until she dragged her nails along his skin lightly, making him stiffen and let out a long, heady groan. He began to buck up into her, her pace not enough as he began to chase his pleasure, the sound of flesh hitting flesh making his cheeks redden as Mae doubled her efforts to meet his demand. Steve surged forward, rolling them until Mae was on her back and his arm beneath her with the other holding her thigh tight against his side. He moved harder than he would normally allow himself to, kissing her passionately as he tensed and came.<br/></span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The tower was quiet the next morning, everyone out at the SHEILD headquarters in a confidential meeting that even Tony didn’t want to talk about. Mae busied herself in the workshop all day, talking to Dum-E and U like a crazy person and finishing a couple of prototypes. By the evening she had decided to emerge from the workshop, taking the elevator straight up to her floor. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What if you’re jumping to conclusions?” Mae heard Bucky talking as she stepped out of the elevator. “It’s a big decision-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And if I’m not? Could we live with doing nothing?” Steve asked in return.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Could you live with the alternative?” Bucky asked, sounding stressed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Later, Buck.” Steve said, turning towards Mae and giving her a wide, tired smile. “Hey.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Everything alright?” Mae asked and Steve nodded, Bucky didn’t say anything but looked away from her, hands fidgeting. Mae stepped close to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, his own slipping around her protectively. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, just a long day.” Steve said and Mae looked up to Bucky, trying to catch his gaze. He managed a small smile then pressed a kiss to her forehead as if to reassure her but it only made her worry more. Bucky had been mentally healthy the last few months, it had been a long time since he had woken up as the Winter Soldier or felt like he was a danger to anyone he lived with, Mae didn’t want him slipping now for any reason. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What can I do?” Mae asked with worry but Steve and Bucky shook their heads. Nothing. Mae felt a bit useless, sure she wasn’t a superhero or anything like that, but she didn’t agree with being useless. “Want to go out?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No,” Bucky said quietly. “I want to stay in, sit on the couch and not move.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sounds good to me,” Steve said. “We can order in and be lazy.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve ordered Thai and they lay on the couch all night as promised, Bucky snuggling in against Mae tightly as they watched comedies but it didn’t seem to lighten his mood. Steve was tense, but he didn’t say anything, instead he acted like nothing was wrong to the point of delusion. Mae tried to ask again but they brushed it off, they didn’t want to talk at all. That night when they made love the two of them were beyond gentle, almost reverent in how they held her. Hands memorising as they brought each other to the edge again and again</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey,” Bucky said, brushing his finger along her cheekbone until she blinked up at him with a tired, satisfied smile. “I love you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I love you.” Mae said in return, reaching out to capture his hand and kiss it. But the action didn’t have the reassuring effect she intended, instead Bucky frowned, worry coming over his features as he studied her intently.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You mean it?” He asked quietly. “Even if I’m a fucking idiot?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Even if you’re a fucking idiot.” Mae said and then laughed lightly. “There’s not much you could do that would make me stop loving you.” Bucky swallowed thickly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did I ever tell you that meeting you was the best moment of my life?” He asked and Mae could have sworn his voice was breaking. “And getting my shit together enough to be with you and Steve was the smartest?” From behind her Steve reached forward and cupped Bucky’s jaw, Bucky’s eyes closing from the touch.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We love you, Buck.” Steve said. “Nothing’s going to change that.” Bucky nodded and Mae shifted closer, cuddling up to his chest and feeling his arm wrap around her tightly. Steve gathered them both close, his nose buried in her hair and his fingers in Bucky’s. “Everything’s gonna work out.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Bucky whispered, letting out a shaking sigh. “It’s just... I’m happy.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Get some sleep, love.” Mae said, her own eyes struggling to stay open. “We’ll still be here in the morning.” Steve kissed her shoulder and Bucky nodded, closing his eyes against the worry he felt.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>"Tony, what's going on?" Mae asked quietly but he didn't answer, just shifted his gaze to the floor.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Mae woke up and stretched, blearily reaching out for Bucky who had a tendency to sleep in with her, or at least lay in the bed awake and reading until her non-superhuman body figured it was time to start the day. Her hands ran along cold sheets and she huffed, reluctantly opening her eyes to see he wasn’t there. She looked to her left and Steve was absent too, not an unusual thing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lazily, because it was before eight A.M and a weekend, Mae stood and went for a shower, barely waking up for that or for brushing her hair and teeth. Clothed and basically presentable Mae walked to the kitchen to find that empty too, she doubled back to check Bucky’s room just in case but it was as empty as it usually is. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>In the elevator she asked Jarvis to take her to the common room, the humming of the electrics quiet as it opened up at the floor she asked, the flickering light of the television reflecting off the marble floor. Mae stepped out of the elevator into the common room to see Tony standing in the middle of the lounge area in front of the TV. He was holding a glass of scotch by his side as he watched the morning news silently, his hand in his pocket as he stood stock still. He looked like he hadn’t gone to sleep, his vest undone over a dishevelled button up. No-one else was on the floor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey,” Mae said quietly, a small yawn escaping her. Tony stiffened, his gaze still fixed on the television instead of his usual cheerful greeting. “It’s so quiet this morning.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony turned, talking a step to reach out for her, his hand touching the inside of her wrist gently. “Mae-” He began, the words dropping away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Where is everyone?" Mae asked quietly, frowning when he winced at the question. She was about to ask him what was wrong, why he was upset, when she noticed the news bulletin on the television. At first she didn't make sense of it, the photos of Steve, Bucky, Clint and Nat with the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Breaking News </span>
  </em>
  <span>banner at the top. But then she began to get a sinking feeling as she took slow, worried steps closer to listen to the anchorwoman, Tony’s hand falling away from her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Four superheroes known to be a part of the Avenger group have been announced by the President as fugitives in the United States-"</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>"Tony, what's going on?" Mae asked quietly but he didn't answer, just shifted his gaze to the floor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>The four heroes, including Captain America, are to be considered extremely dangerous. People are urged not to approach and to call police immediately should they have any information as to the whereabouts of the fugitives."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>"Turn it off, J." Tony said quietly before Mae turned to him for answers. He looked exhausted, dark circles under his eyes as he shook his head slowly and downed the scotch. It wasn't even nine in the morning yet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mae watched him with wide eyes as he tracked over to the bar and poured another drink. Her heartbeat thudding while the rest of her was absent of sensation. It made no sense to her, they had literally just fallen asleep together last night and now they were fugitives?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't-" Mae's voice croaked. "I don't understand. What's happening?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The Accords." Tony said with a rough voice. "The United Nations wanted regulation over the Avengers. Rogers didn't want to sign, didn't want to have </span>
  <em>
    <span>legislation </span>
  </em>
  <span>get in the way of him chasing down Nazis or something. They had until midnight to sign. He didn't want to. They left."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No." Mae said flatly and Tony closed his eyes with a sigh. "No, I was with them last night, they didn't say a god-damn thing about any Accords!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Jarvis has footage of them leaving at eleven-thirty. Bags packed." Tony said softly as Mae shook her head, small abortive motions that shook her bed-messed hair around her face. "Clint and Nat were going to sign originally, but I think they knew what Rogers would do and didn’t want to be the ones to have to bring him in, so they left too. I tried to track them but… they had thought out leaving the city. I lost them just past Brooklyn. And Bruce… I sent him away, couldn’t risk it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't believe you." Mae said and Tony rubbed at his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Play it, J." Tony said and the television flickered to life again, showing the camera feed from Mae's floor. Bucky and Steve were dressed, jackets on and travel bags slung over their shoulders. Steve was slipping on a baseball cap as Bucky pulled up the hood of the jumper he wore under his leather jacket.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Are you sure about this?"</span>
  </em>
  <span> Bucky asked as he pressed the button for the elevator. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>Mae-"</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"We can't put her in danger."</span>
  </em>
  <span> Steve interrupted Bucky. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>And we can't sign the Accords, we can't bend to being puppets for the UN."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>And what if the UN or the Senator decides to use her against us?</span>
  </em>
  <span>"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Tony won't let that happen." </span>
  </em>
  <span>Steve said with a sigh. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>She'll be safer here than with us.</span>
  </em>
  <span>" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>I don’t like this, Steve. Are we really going to give her up?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“What happens if someone takes her, and the UN blocks us from being able to go after her? Or something else? If we can’t go and do what we need to, how many people are going to get hurt?” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Steve hunched his shoulders, looking down to the floor. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“It’s safer this way.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The elevator opened and they stepped on, the cameras following them as they exited the building on foot. The television switched off again and left Mae to look at her own stunned reflection, her hand over her mouth as if to hold in her warring emotions.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Mae said quietly, her trembling hands coming together to wring nervously. “They wouldn’t- they-” she sunk down onto the couch and Tony walked over, sitting beside her as she stared at the floor. He reached out and took her hands in his, not looking up, not wanting to watch his friend’s heart break. Mae tried to breathe calmly, tried to focus on anything but the image of Steve and Bucky stepping onto the elevator. Tears began to escape down her cheek when the realisation hit her. They had really gone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They had left her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Without a word. Without warning. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mae sobbed and she tried to cut it off, she tried to be angry. But the only thing she felt was agony, betrayal, she felt like less than nothing to the men she had opened herself to for the last eighteen months. Now she just felt like a wound, every part of her scratched to pieces.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Miss Taylor?” Mae came back to herself and saw Agent Coulson sitting on the coffee table in front of her. It was brighter in the room and Mae slowly realised it wasn’t the morning anymore. Tony was sitting beside her still, his hand on hers. Behind Coulson was Fury, she had only met the man once but she thought him frightening, stern. This time he watched her with a hint of pity. Mae looked to Tony, the circles under his eyes were darker. He looked up and tried to give her reassurance with those whiskey brown eyes, but she could see they held a lot of pain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What- what was the question?” Mae asked, her voice hoarse. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did Rogers or Barnes mention anything to you about leaving? Anything at all?” Coulson asked softly, more gentle than she’d ever heard him. Mae looked to Tony again. She knew he didn’t trust SHIELD, but they were here.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s alright,” Tony said and squeezed her hand, his smile didn’t reach his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Mae said with a frown. “They didn’t say anything.” </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Did I ever tell you that meeting you was the best moment of my life?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Bucky’s voice rang in her head. </span>
  <em>
    <span>And getting my shit together enough to be with you and Steve was the smartest?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“They didn’t act oddly?” Coulson pressed and Mae closed her eyes. They had. Steve was hiding something while Bucky was trying to tell her in his own way but neither of them just came forward and said something. They took matters into their own hands, they left her behind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Mae said and Coulson tapped on the tablet he held. The couch beside her dipped and Mae smelled Pepper’s perfume before she saw the woman. Slim arms wrapped around her shoulders and Pepper pulled her close.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What does this mean now?” Mae asked, her voice rough. “That they left?” Tony squeezed her hand and Coulson looked to Fury as if asking permission to divulge information. Fury let out a sigh and stepped towards her, his one eye looking her over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It means that your boyfriends are operating outside of the law.” Fury said softly. “If or when they resurface, someone needs to bring them in to face the consequences of that. So if they contact you for any reason, you need to tell us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But Steve and Bucky always-” Mae began and Tony cut her off with a hard squeeze of his hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Steve Rogers is a man of high morals.” Fury said firmly. “For that kind of man, it’s hard to accept a new worldview. Someone who fought for freedom like he did would struggle to accept regulation from a body he didn’t trust.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You saw this coming.” Tony said flatly, his distaste clear. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So did you.” Fury said flatly. “We both know the Accords are a terrible decision, but you and I can adapt and work the system, Stark. Your teammates didn’t have that talent.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That’s not true</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Mae thought bitterly. She knew them well enough to know that they could have worked the situation to their benefit, but they didn’t. Their decision was to walk away, and not just from her but from their teammates too. Mae’s hands were trembling and she let out a shaking sigh, Pepper and Tony inching closer to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Phil, I’d like to take Mae upstairs to rest.” Pepper said and the agent nodded. Guided by the woman, Mae walked automatically to the elevator. Not noticing anything around her.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Short chapter, but two uploads in two days so that's okay yeah?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“She hasn’t moved for days.” Tony said, talking to them as if she wasn’t there. His voice was hoarse, cracking as if he hadn’t slept. “I don’t know what to do.”</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Mae didn’t leave the bed for days.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It still smelled like them, which didn’t help. Like Steve’s aftershave and Bucky’s sandalwood shampoo. It was a unique torture designed just for her, lulling her into a sense of their presence when she slept, only to wake up to cold sheets and a fleeting, fading sense of hope. She felt sick to her core every minute, that after all they went through they would leave her so callously. She swung between self-loathing and anger, wracking her brain to figure out what she could have done to help them or at least make them reconsider their decision.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>On the third day Tony came up into the room, sitting on the far side and reaching out to touch her back gently. He asked her to come down, to spend the day with him, anything she wanted. The scent of his expensive cologne invaded the room, mingling with the fading smell that she still clung to. She didn’t have to look at him to know what expression he wore, it was in his voice; trepidation, worry and loneliness. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But she didn’t move and he eventually left.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>On the fourth day Tony came back with others, his cologne absent, replaced with the metallic smell of the workshop. Tony didn’t come close this time, but let the others wander into the room. Mae still didn’t move when Dan sat and put her head onto his lap, brushing her hair back with his hand like he used to when she was a child. Wood ash and motor oil, just another scent invading her space.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is she alright?” Mae heard her brother, Jack, the mattress dipping behind her as he reached out and touched her arm gently. The same way he used to when he woke from a nightmare and needed her comfort when they were young.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She hasn’t moved for days.” Tony said, talking to them as if she wasn’t there. His voice was hoarse, cracking as if he hadn’t slept. “I don’t know what to do.” Dan just hummed, touching her forehead, subtly checking her pulse, brushing her hair back and tisking at the dark circles under her eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, you’re just like your mother.” Dan said to Mae quietly. “She would do the exact same thing when she got her heart broken.” Mae blinked, no other response forthcoming. “You wouldn’t have known it, Stark, but Mae is the spitting image of Amelia, head to toe.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t know that.” Tony said, stepping closer. “I never met her, wish I had.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’d run you through the ringer, that’s for sure.” Dan chuckled and Jack huffed a laugh. “Wasn’t a guy in the state that didn’t chase after her and she fell in love so easily with a lot of them. When they left, she’d be like this. Quiet. But she always got up swinging in the end. Before she met your father, there was this fella named Lloyd-” Dan continued on, just talking, telling stories about her mother when she was younger. Eventually, Mae fell asleep again, the low cadence of Dan’s voice lulling her to sleep like it did when she was a kid.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Day five and Mae got out of bed, moving to sit on the couch and stare out the window to the city. Tony came up and gave her a smile, leaving some food for her. She didn’t eat it, but she did pick it up and put it in the fridge.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Day six, Pepper came up and told her they were going shopping on Tony’s credit card. Mae didn’t really react, but she did say to Pepper that she appreciated the offer. It was the first thing she said that week.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>On the seventh day, Mae got dressed and went to the workshop. She needed to do something with her hands. Anything. And pulling apart a repulsor sounded like the best option. Tony smiled but didn’t say anything, after an hour or so he moved over to help her pull it apart in silence. Their hands working without needing to give each other direction, when the repulsor was in pieces, all neatly laid out on the bench she began to rebuild it, her hands beginning to tremble from using tweezers and pliers. Tony put his thumb to her wrist, a delicate touch to help steady her as she worked. A small, comforting presence as she put the pieces back together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A month after they left, Mae was ill. Jarvis voiced his concern, but Mae didn’t want to go to Medical. She went back to bed, smelling the faint scent of sandalwood that had almost disappeared. It took a week until she started to feel mildly better. Tony was visiting her daily and Mae was back to talking full sentences. Whole conversations, even.<br/></span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey,” Tony greeted her as she sat down at her workbench. She had crawled out of bed despite the lingering feeling of illness. But it wasn’t illness she was having to fight against on a daily basis, it was pushing against the darker thoughts that had invaded her mind in the last month. She knew those kinds of thoughts could easily convince her to just stay in bed, to not move for another day. Every day she felt like she was having to swim upwards in molasses to keep from drowning, and every day she was getting a little better at it. “Feeling better?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Mae said, although her voice was rough Tony seemed to be convinced enough to stay in his seat. If he wasn’t convinced he would have stood up and marched over, listing his demands for the day which usually ended up being extravagant somehow. Mae adored Tony, but sometimes she just needed the quiet. Mae Tapped the tablet that rested on her workbench and looked at a few holographic displays that popped up from her last work session which seemed to be so long ago. It had been long enough that she had to really read the blueprints to understand what she was looking at, before she would just glance and know everything about the project. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good to hear,” Tony said, turning back to his screen and surreptitiously glancing at her through the display. Mae froze in her seat, a roll of nausea passing through her as she grabbed for the wastebasket by her feet quickly before throwing up into it. Tony was on his feet and by her side immediately, pulling her hair back and making small comforting sounds as she moaned loudly in complaint. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sir,” Jarvis began, his voice somehow a mixture of concern and frustration before it was cut off by Tony.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know, J.” Tony said and let out a sigh. He pet her hair back, pushing the last few strands from her face as she let out a shuddering breath. He gathered her hair in one hand, the other touching at her shoulder and back to comfort. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mae, I’m going to make a suggestion, and I don’t want you to freak out on me.” Tony said calmly as he rubbed circles on her back. Mae groaned in response, clinging onto the waste basket. “Jarvis raised some concerns and I kinda agree with him. Maybe you should- think about maybe- doing a pregnancy test?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mae stilled, a small, disbelieving scoff falling from her lips. The first thing she thought was that it was ridiculous. Not a chance. Then as the idea grew, her heart thudded and her knuckles grew white from gripping onto the basket. She did calculations in her head, very tempted to get out her phone and look at her calendar. But she knew what it would say. She was late, and she hadn’t even noticed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mae?” Tony asked, worried he hadn’t received an answer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-I’m freaking out.” Mae stuttered as her breath came short and sharp. Tony cursed under his breath and pulled her up and away from the basket, encouraging her to lean against him while he cradled her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jarvis,” Tony called out as he ushered Mae over to the couch. “Tell Pepper to get here.” Jarvis replied but Mae didn’t hear. Tony settled in beside her, arm around her shoulders as he babbled nonsense, his own nerves fraying as Mae became more and more silent. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>This isn’t happening</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Mae thought to herself over and over as Tony filled the silence with the specs of his new car, keeping the awkward silence at bay the best way he knew how. It comforted her, in it’s own way, his voice was something to anchor to, something that would continue until she got herself together enough to tell him to stop. As soon as Pepper walked into the lab Tony gently pulled from Mae and shot to his feet, walking over to the woman who was taking his rising stress levels with grace.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pep, I need you to stay with Mae.” Tony said quickly as he passed her and made for the door to the lab. Pepper looked to Tony then Mae and back to Tony, catching on to the mild panic in the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tony, what’s going on?” Pepper asked in exasperation and Tony just waved a hand at her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stay with her, I’ll be back soon.” Tony left and jumped into the elevator. Pepper carefully sat down beside Mae and asked her the same question she had just asked Tony, Mae made a pious, pitiful sound in her throat and Pepper took that as a sign to simply wait.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>About fifteen minutes later Tony strode out of the elevator with a bag in his hand, staring at the contents with a flushed face as he blindly walked into the lab.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tony, what’s happening?” Pepper asked, she had a blanket over Mae who looked a lot calmer. Certainly more calm than Tony was feeling now. “What’s in the bag?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um,” Tony looked to the plastic bag he held and felt his anxiety begin to rise when Pepper stood up from the couch with determination. The fierce woman walked forward and opened the bag while he was still holding it and her eyes went wide.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why did you get so </span>
  <em>
    <span>many</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” Pepper asked in exasperation and Tony couldn’t answer. He had panicked at the pharmacy and just got one of each kind of test they had. He bit his lip and looked from Pepper to the bag and back again. “Why didn’t you just take her to Medical?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t know what to do, okay?” Tony said defensively. “It’s not like I handle this kind of situation regularly.” Tony watched with wide eyes as Pepper shook her head and muttered beneath her breath, plucking a random box from the bag. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go sit at your desk.” Pepper scolded him and he sat down at his desk, watching the two women with wide puppy eyes. Pepper helped Mae to her feet as they walked towards the bathroom. “Tony, you’re making </span>
  <em>
    <span>me</span>
  </em>
  <span> nervous just looking at you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do I do?” Tony asked nervously. “Can I help?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>No</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Pepper said firmly. “Just sit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In the bathroom Pepper cursed under her breath, casting an eye at Mae with amusement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m always amazed at how men react to female biology.” Pepper said with a small chuckle. “He must have had fifteen tests in that bag.” She opened the box, pulling out the stick and then looking to the side of the box. “I think I must have done maybe three of these in my life.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“One for me.” Mae said before letting out a sigh. “Two, now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s just a standard pee on the stick one.” Pepper said and smiled, her reassuring manner working well to calm Mae’s nerves. She had been right to leave Tony out in the lab, he probably would be asking too many questions and making Mae feel frazzled. “I like these ones, I think my second test was one of those weird pee-in-the-cup and soak tests. It was gross. It says two minutes, want me to time?” Mae nodded and Pepper handed her the stick, ushering her to the cubicle. “I’ll wait outside, come out when you’re done.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mae sat on the closed toilet lid and let out a shuddering breath. It was too much, Bucky and Steve leaving and now this. It was all too easy for those darker thoughts to creep back in, she couldn’t handle this, couldn’t even comprehend what this would mean. What felt worse was that if they had stayed a couple of weeks longer, she might have been able to tell them. It wasn’t like they hadn’t talked about it, Bucky and Steve were ready enough to have a family, Steve had always been ready and Bucky had just gotten to the point where he was as well, but they wanted to do things ‘right’ and to them that had meant getting their own place and starting a different kind of life. The kind of life that wasn’t going to happen now. The kind of life Mae wasn’t going to be able to have anymore, at least not with them. Maybe not with anyone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked up at the ceiling and wiped at a tear that rolled down her cheek, trying to tell herself that until she had all the information she was just stressing herself out. She needed to know for sure, then she could have a full blown meltdown. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mae walked out of the bathroom staring at the stick in her hand and Pepper turned on the timer on her phone. Tony looked between Pepper and Mae with wide eyes before eyeing off the test curiously. He seemed like he was witnessing something no man had done before, as if he was breaking new ground in social awareness or seeing something that was a bit taboo. Pepper caught his expression and rolled her eyes, muttering something under her breath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t watch it,” Pepper said calmly, coming over to lower Mae’s hand so she couldn’t see the little window. Mae had to put effort into looking up at the tall woman instead of at the test in her hand. “It will be the longest two minutes of your life otherwise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You feeling okay?” Tony asked warily, his voice softer and quieter than usual. “Need anything? Food? Juice? Dum-E can make a smoothie that will make you regret ever thinking smoothies were a good thing.” Mae chuckled and sat on the couch, shaking her head. Tony slinked down to sit beside her and gave her a weak smile. He was acting softly around her, not that he hadn’t before, according to Steve she was one of the few people Tony would be </span>
  <em>
    <span>soft</span>
  </em>
  <span> to. Not petulant and immature, not loyal and cheeky, just gentle, as if anything more would see her scattered into the cosmos. He reached out and put a hand on her shoulder, Mae leaning into it until her head was tucked up beneath his chin and he had a protective arm around her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Probably not how you thought you’d spend your Friday, huh?” Tony asked and Mae shrugged her shoulder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry I dragged you into this.” Mae said quietly and Pepper scoffed, not intending it to be offensive at all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He dragged himself into this when he bought every pregnancy test in New York.” Pepper said and Tony gave her a pointed look. The timer alarm went off and the two of them jumped, Pepper remained calm and collected as she turned off the alarm. Mae sat up, pulling away from Tony who gave her a tight smile, he put his hand on her knee, trying to be reassuring.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mae lifted the test and looked into the window, a little blue cross.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a blue cross.” Mae said with a frown and looked up to Pepper, she hadn’t read the box instructions, she didn’t know what she was looking at. It could have meant she was an alien for all she knew.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What does that mean?” Tony asked and looked to Pepper also, who seemed almost pained to tell them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It means we have to go down to Medical, Mae.” Pepper said quietly. “You’re pregnant.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I promised myself I wouldn't do a pregnancy fic, but here I am, lying to myself as usual.</p><p>Thanks for reading so far, I love you all &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“Anything you need,” he said quietly, his smile reaching his eyes. “I’m not going anywhere.”</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Tony spied Mae sitting on the couch and walked over, excited about his idea of going out for the night. There had been enough drama and heartbreak over the last few weeks and he didn’t want to continue the trend. First there was Barnes and Rogers leaving, blowing up the whole Avengers gig and leaving a wake of heartbreak and drama to deal with, then Mae found out she was knocked up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And boy, if that didn’t shatter her life all over again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony was, in simple terms, exhausted. And the source of all his exhaustion seemed to stem from one overcooked super soldier with a rose-tinted, outdated worldview who liked to act the martyr - no matter who he hurt in the process. Tony didn’t overly care that he was one of the people who got hurt by Cap’s actions, he was resilient, always moving forwards. So what the Avengers weren’t together anymore, he was still </span>
  <em>
    <span>Iron Man</span>
  </em>
  <span>. And if he was honest, it wasn’t the first time he and Cap had disagreed, they seemed to be fundamentally incompatible.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What really got to Tony, was the way they had treated Mae in the end. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she had woken up that morning, coming into the common room when he hadn’t even fallen asleep, Tony honestly hadn’t considered Mae into the equation yet. He had been trying to chase Widow and Barton through the city, trying to preserve some sense of the team and when he lost them he rushed straight back to get Bruce the hell out of the tower as soon as possible because he knew, that as worried Nat had been over being used to bring in Cap and Barnes, the real threat was SHIELD trying to use the Hulk. So once Bruce was safely gone, Tony thought himself alone again. Then Mae walked up behind him, barefoot and soft, sleep laden voice asking where Steve and Bucky had gone to.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony’s heart broke for her, because that just wasn’t fair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn’t fair that they had left in the first place, it wasn’t fair that Tony had to watch what semblance of a family he had left splinter and fracture. But watching Mae’s expression as she slowly realised what had happened, having to show her the video of them leaving, that really wasn’t fair. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony was resilient, but damn if it doesn’t hurt to be that sometimes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As it was, once he discovered that Mae had a soft spot for musicals he bought some tickets, he didn’t have a particular liking for them since they took up hours of time he could be spending in his lab but he decided to make an exception. He knew Mae thought that his shows of affection were far too extravagant, but he figured they both needed a little extravagance right now. Besides, he enjoyed spending time with Mae, she had quickly grown to be one of his best friends, someone who gave Pepper and Rhodey a run for their money.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony was resilient, and maybe just a touch of that was because of her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he approached he saw Mae scrolling on her tablet, hair up in a loose, messy bun that looked like it would be impossible to undo. Mae sighed, stretching her head to the side in discomfort, giving him a good view of what she was looking at. It was a listing for apartments to rent. He stopped in his tracks and frowned to himself before pushing down the unpleasant, panicking emotion that was threatening to send him spiralling. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>God damn it Tony, resilience!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you looking at?” He asked with a light conversational tone before flopping down onto the couch beside her. Mae gave him a small smile before showing him the tablet. “Apartments?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just looking. Trying to figure out what I can afford to do.” Mae said and by the tone of her voice it seemed like she wasn’t having much luck. Tony frowned, pushing down his first reaction of wanting to know </span>
  <em>
    <span>why </span>
  </em>
  <span>she would need somewhere else to stay. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can stay here,” He said with a shrug, successfully pulling off a much less overbearing and panicked response. “The whole free rent thing is mighty affordable.” Mae looked at him as if he was missing the point, and he probably was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t want children running around your tower, Tony.” Mae said with exasperation. “It’s not fair that you should put up with that just because I went and got knocked up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but there is a hell of a lot of room.” Tony said firmly, the next thought came with a flash of warning against saying it, but it slipped from his mouth anyway.  “You don’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>need</span>
  </em>
  <span> to go. You wouldn’t have gone if Barnes and Noble were still here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well they’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Mae said with a rough voice, not bothering to comment on Tony’s new nickname for them although he thought it was quite clever and couldn’t believe he hadn’t come up with it earlier. Tony opened his mouth to speak and then closed it again, he had always known what to say or how to act. Even if it was highly inappropriate he always got the reaction he wanted from people, but this time he wasn’t sure. He didn’t want to risk pushing another friend away. Mae let out a long sigh, the silence growing awkward. “I just didn’t think you would appreciate it. It’s not like I’m going to be able to work for a good while, I’m literally going to be raising a newborn.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ve decided to keep it then?” He asked carefully and Mae dropped the tablet onto her lap and scrubbed her face with her open palm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know.” She said eventually. “I’m acting like I am, but I don’t know why. The thought of getting rid of it just hasn’t seemed like an option.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re the only one who can make this choice, so I’m not going to utter an opinion.” Tony said and leaned in to rest his head on her shoulder. Touch was good, touch calmed them both down. He just didn’t need to let slip how much he starved for it sometimes. “But you’ve got a place here, and you’re on a whole different floor so it’s not like I’m going to hear the kid screaming or anything. And you’ve got Jarvis! The best baby monitor in the world, you wouldn’t have that in a run down apartment with no heating.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tony-” Mae began to protest and then gave up with a sigh, Tony taking the opportunity to lay on the couch and put his head in her lap, humming in comfort. “I’ll think about it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, the offer is there.” Tony said, smiling contentedly as Mae absently ran her fingers through his hair, an action to comfort both of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re too good to me.” Mae said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know.” Tony said flippantly, peeking open an eye at her and making her laugh. “So I heard you like singing off-key in the shower, want to go catch a show?”<br/></span>
</p><p>
  <span>A few weeks later and Tony was carefully broaching the subject of Mae staying in the tower again. This time he chose while they were both semi-distracted in the workshop. Mae still hadn’t decided, so he took a different approach.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Regardless of where you live, you’re going to need supplies.” Tony said as he welded the joints of a custom frame to hoist up his latest suit design. He was all over the place with his latest inventions, first nano-tech then a failed scale-mail inspired design, now he was making something that could take on the Hulk if he needed to. “So I’ve arranged for some time tomorrow for Happy to escort you to the shops so you can at least start getting the basics. Cots and prams and all that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t need an escort,” Mae said and Tony turned off the blowtorch and lifted the large welding visor, showing his sweaty, dirty expression of concern. It would be so much easier if Mae would let him fuss over her once in a while, especially when it came to giving her an escort. It’s not like he could give her an emergency Iron Man suit. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hey, that’s not a bad idea.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look, I’m paranoid right now, okay?” Tony said with a huff, giving at least sixty percent of his attention to the conversation while the rest of his mind went wild with possibilities. “We don’t know where anyone is and the whole world knows it. SHIELD is stretched thin, not that I trust them at all, and according to Pepper I’m not allowed to put a sensor in you to monitor your wellbeing. At least if Happy is with you, I’m not going to worry about you getting mugged or something.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“At a baby store?” Mae asked, amused. Tony gave her a pointed look that said he didn’t share her amusement. “It’s a bit early to worry about all that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is it?” Tony asked and glanced to her stomach. “You’re rounding out already.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s only been twelve weeks.” Mae said with frustration and Tony hummed in agreement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure, but look at the fathers. They’re both tall, not to mention the serum.” Tony said and Mae agreed reluctantly. “The Doc already said there is a chance of an early birth, so let’s make sure we’re prepared, huh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We?” Mae asked and Tony gave her a wink before pushing his visor down again and returning to his welding.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Besides, if you buy too much stuff you won’t be able to move out.” Tony said teasingly and Mae just rolled her eyes.<br/><br/></span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony was in the workshop alone when Pepper called, Jarvis had announced it through the speaker system and Tony had answered the call, fully expecting it to be about SI.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pepper, my love, my desire,” Tony said in a cheerful voice, Pepper’s huff of annoyance was like a balm to his soul. Tony was thankful for Pepper, for all the hard work she did for the company and for him personally. He had worried that she would have left when their brief relationship came to a spectacular ending, but, ever reliable, Pepper stayed. “If you’re after the satellite upgrade you’re going to have to stall for about another week-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s fine,Tony.” Pepper said with a calm voice, too calm, as if she was expressly </span>
  <em>
    <span>trying</span>
  </em>
  <span> to be calm. “I was just calling because Happy told me about your idea of getting him to take Mae to buy baby products.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” Tony said, looking at the clock on his computer. The two of them would be at the store right now, hopefully spending a lot of money.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you know what people generally see at those stores?” Pepper asked curiously and Tony had to think on it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Overpriced clothes that the kid wears for like a week?” Tony asked and Pepper let out another huff.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Couples,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Tony.” Pepper scolded him. “Fathers.” Tony put down the tool he was using, a small sinking feeling starting in his gut. He hadn’t considered that, hadn’t realised what he was asking Mae to walk in to. Hell, she hadn’t even left the tower on her own yet. “Please tell me she’s at least in a healthy place to be dealing with that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh,” Tony began because he really wasn’t sure. Mae was stubborn, but that didn’t exactly equate to being able to have her situation shoved down her throat. Pepper’s long, frustrated sigh echoed through his workshop followed by the sound of her phone vibrating with a message notification.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’re on their way back to the tower,” Pepper said quietly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They only left half an hour ago.” Tony said and scrubbed his face with his hands. He was an idiot, a real fucking genius. “She wouldn’t have been in there five minutes.” He cleared his throat and shuffled the tools on his desk, mostly to try and make it sound like he was busy. “I’ll take care of it, Pep.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’d better,” Pepper said with a not-so-hidden threat in her voice, Tony knew Pepper was fond of Mae, was happy to have someone around to share the ‘Tony responsibility’. She hung up and instead of Jarvis putting Tony’s music on again it stayed silent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What would you like me to do, sir?” Jarvis asked and Tony shook his head, his foot tapping and fingers drumming as he thought. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know yet, J.” Tony said and let out a frustrated sound. He always managed to make things worse somehow. Why couldn’t this problem be one he could just shoot a repulsor at, those ones were easier. Maybe he could hunt Steve and Bucky down and shoot them instead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Miss Taylor will return in twenty minutes.” Jarvis supplied helpfully, but really it just put pressure on Tony to think on what to do.<br/><br/></span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mae stepped out of the elevator and onto her floor and cringed. Almost every time she came home now she would think of Bucky on the couch or Steve in the kitchen, and it wasn't getting any easier. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She took herself to the couch and sank down on it, her hand coming to cover her face as she let out a long sigh that threatened to become a sob. Hand resting on her rounded belly she focussed on her breathing, she promised herself she'd stop falling apart at a moment's notice, so much for promises.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The elevator opened and Mae didn't have to look up to know it was Tony. It wouldn't have been anyone else. Couldn't have. They were the only ones left to rattle around in a tower that seemed so empty, ten floors for just the two of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey, hun." Tony said as he walked up, his hand reaching out to brush her hair back and rub at the nape of her neck as he perched on the couch next to her. "Happy told me you were a bit upset? Didn't buy a thing. Now, if I told Pep to take my credit card and go hog wild, I’d be bankrupt. I was hoping you’d be doing the same."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mae gave him a sad smile, his wide eyes taking in every expression, every sign of exhaustion or depression. His own contented smile didn’t falter for a second, but his eyes were showing every thought that raced through his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm fine," Mae's voice cracked and Tony hummed, slipping onto the seat of the couch and pulling her gently to him until he had her tucked beneath his arm with her face buried into his chest. "It's just, there were a lot of couples there. It felt like they were either judging or taking pity on me. </span>
  <em>
    <span>'oh that poor girl she's alone I wonder where the father is'</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Yeah, I'm wondering that too." She said bitterly and Tony gave her a squeeze.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How about I go with you next time?" Tony offered and Mae sniffled, shaking her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's not that I can't do it," Mae said as she fidgeted with a button on Tony's shirt, he was waiting patiently for her to continue. "I was standing by the cribs and there were too many choices. I couldn't make a decision. Then a thought popped up that Steve would have wanted the traditional one, but Bucky would have pushed for the one with the highest safety. Then I realised - they might not even know about the baby. They left before </span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span> knew, so how could they know? Or maybe they do know and they just don't care? Or they do care, but not enough to put aside their stance on the accords and they're </span>
  <em>
    <span>choosing</span>
  </em>
  <span> to be fugitives over-" Mae's voice broke off into a sob and Tony pressed a kiss to her forehead. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony’s skin was crawling with a mixture of guilt and apprehension as he held her steadfast. This wasn’t the outcome he was hoping for. As usual he skipped considering consequences and just went right ahead with his own plan, telling Mae to go with Happy, practically ordering her. He cursed at himself silently, an overwhelming need to do </span>
  <em>
    <span>better</span>
  </em>
  <span> bursting in his mind. He would try, he would think of something.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know you don't want to hear it, especially now," Tony said calmly, picking his words with more care than he would have in the past. "But the kid isn't going to be without father figures. Rhodey and I definitely have that covered, Happy too. And who knows, maybe something will change and they'll come back - they'd be more than ecstatic to know they've got a kid. But right </span>
  <em>
    <span>now</span>
  </em>
  <span>, regardless of if they know or not, you've got me. Anything you need or want, I'm your guy. I'm not going anywhere." Mae nodded and sniffled, probably ruining Tony's shirt with her tears but he didn’t give a damn about that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I need to be able to do things on my own,” Mae said and swallowed thickly. “I need to come to terms with the fact that they’re not here anymore.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, one hundred percent, I completely agree.” Tony said. “But when you don’t want to do things alone, you call me, okay?” Mae nodded numbly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll-” Mae’s voice cracked and she made half an attempt to clear her throat before trying to speak again. “I’ll try again tomorrow.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll make sure you won’t have people staring at you.” Tony said and Mae had no idea how he’d keep that promise. “I’ve got a conference, but I’ll see what I can do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t have to come,” Mae said with a steadying breath. “I can do this, I </span>
  <em>
    <span>need</span>
  </em>
  <span> to do this. If I can’t then the rest of the pregnancy is going to be hell. Not to mention actually raising the kid.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony didn’t have anything to say to that, so for once he stayed silent, completely uncharacteristic for him. Instead he settled further onto the couch, his cheek resting on the top of her head as he kept his arm around her. Picking up the remote he turned on the television, Jarvis helpfully flicking past the news channel to a documentary on turtles. Mae let out a small huff of laughter when she saw the documentary, curling her legs up onto the couch and settling in for a bit of down time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Turned out that the down time was effective, or the documentary was too boring for Mae, in any case she fell asleep against Tony, curled up with her fist tucked up under her cheek and using Tony’s chest as a pillow. Tony hadn’t planned to be on the couch for the rest of the afternoon, but he quickly re-evaluated his day and decided that he really didn’t need to be anywhere else. It was a first step to making up for his error of judgement from earlier. Like Pepper used to tell him often, sometimes he didn’t need to speak or act. sometimes he just needed to be present. </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Happy took Mae to the store again the next day and she was at least half prepared with a small list of things to consider buying. In the end, Tony hadn’t been able to charm his way out of the conference and had to beg off coming along with her. Mae told him it was fine, she was determined to be able to do baby related things on her own, but on the whole trip over and especially now, as she walked through the car park towards the store, she wished that he was with her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had definitely grown to rely on Tony over the last few months. He had always been a good friend, in truth, he was fun and honest and basically a big softie, but ever since Steve and Bucky left, Tony really had gone out of his way to make sure she was coping. Without him, Mae wasn’t sure she would have at all. It couldn’t go on, her heavy reliance on him. Eventually something was going to happen and he would run too, leaving Mae with a baby and no friends to talk to. The thought of it made her chest tight, but she knew that if Steve and Bucky could walk away then anyone else could too. She had to learn to be alone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mae paused outside of the door of the store, her hand on the handle as she took a steadying breath. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Learn to be alone</span>
  </em>
  <span>. She repeated in her head. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Just like before you met any of the Avengers.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The assistants behind the counter were all smiles as Mae walked into the store, each one of them directing their gaze to her as they waited for her to walk in. The whole place was eerily quiet, the usual bustle absent given it was the middle of the day. It took Mae a moment to realise there was no-one else in the building. Tony really had lived up to his promise of letting her have a onlooker-free shopping experience.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mae wandered towards the counter, intent on asking how it all worked, if she had to make a list or drag a shopping cart around when she heard the sound of confident footsteps from behind a rack of toys.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"About time, hun." Tony quipped as he rounded some shelves and strode over to her with a huge smile, pulling a wide-eyed Mae into his chest quickly before taking her hand. Mae was surprised, she had been so ready to do this on her own.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I thought you had a conference?" Mae asked breathlessly and he shrugged, bouncing on his heels with barely contained excitement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It can wait, this is more important." He said and gestured his head towards the shop assistants. "We've got the place as long as you need it. The people here know everything you'll possibly need, they also have additional catalogues online for what's not in the showroom. No pressure, you take as long as you want and spend as much as you can. I'm here as an impartial judge, when you can't decide on something I'll help you figure it out." Mae smiled, then covered her mouth quickly as tears threatened. Tony winced and cleared his throat, leaning in close to talk quietly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, ah, is it too much? Did I go overboard?" He asked as Mae shook her head. Tony waved off the tissue box the assistant offered, instead pulling a handkerchief out of his suit jacket pocket, pressing it into Mae's hand. She wiped at her eyes and laughed nervously, silently swearing at her hormones. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sorry," Mae said, "just a bit overwhelmed. Hormones." Tony smiled in relief and tugged on her hand, pulling her towards the section of the store with prams and cribs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Let's start with the big stuff, then figure out all the little stuff." Tony said. "Anything we get, we'll need to consider if it can be modified for improvements." Mae chuckled but it was more out of relief than anything else.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Let's not put an Iron Man suit on the baby," Mae said and Tony laughed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I was thinking more of the pram," he said and winked at her. “Imagine never having to push the pram, instead it follows you and has voice commands.”<br/></span>
</p><p>
  <span>They had been in the store for a couple of hours, an assistant following them with a notepad and taking down their orders. It would all be delivered the next day and Mae couldn't imagine the size of the truck they'd need, what with Tony adding more and more to the list.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh my god," Tony said with excitement as Mae was looking at clothes, thank god for the assistant because she had no idea how much she'd need or what sizes. "Mae we need this," Tony said, coming up and wrapping his arms around her from behind. He held up an Iron Man onesie in front of her and she laughed, the hands and feet even had the repulsors as a part of the pattern. "Please?" he asked, his chin resting on her shoulder as he jiggled the clothes. Mae touched the clothing, looking at the small foot with the repulsor patterned on it, her heart melting just a little.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, of course." Mae said and Tony gave a little cheer, handing the item to the assistant with a grin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They have a Hulk one too!” Tony said in excitement and gestured to the assistant to take one of those as well. Tony had obviously stumbled on the Superhero themed section of the store, eyeing off all the bottles, clothes, shoes and blankets that someone had managed to sell without running amiss of copyright laws. Mae walked up beside Tony, and reached out for him, noticing that he had dropped from the excitement he’d exhibited when he had found the Iron Man onesie. She followed his gaze and saw the Captain America themed section, most of it marked down and on clearance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey,” Mae said, leaning into his arm and holding on to him gently. “Thank you, for this.” Tony looked to her and gave a small smile, his eyes crinkling behind his trademark sunglasses. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anything you need,” he said quietly, his smile reaching his eyes. “I’m not going anywhere.”<br/></span>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve sat at the kitchen table in their hideout at a shoddy motel, moving a chunk of cereal from one side of his bowl to the other. Next to him Bucky sat peeling an orange, the peel coming off in one long line. They had been back in the US for barely a week, chasing down a lead on a Hydra cell that seemed to be targeting Stark Industries for some reason. Bucky hadn't wanted to pursue them, didn't want to help Stark given his stance on the Accords, but Steve convinced him that they </span>
  <em>
    <span>should</span>
  </em>
  <span> do it. If not because it proves that the Accords were restrictive in that they'd have never come across the information had they signed, but also that Stark was once their teammate, and the guy directly responsible for a lot of their success and safety in the past.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The small box television that sat on the kitchen bench was on, the morning news going over the usual weather and local events. The announcer was chirpy, maybe a bit too positive for Steve's liking - and he was a morning person.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>And in entertainment news, Tony Stark has been seen in public for the first time since his Avenger teammates were announced as fugitives."</span>
  </em>
  <span> The announcer said, getting Bucky and Steve's attention. </span>
  <em>
    <span>"This photo was snapped by an assistant at a reputable baby product store, showing the superhero fawning over a woman."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The photo on the screen was of Tony and Mae. Tony had his arms around her holding up what looked like baby clothes with an Iron Man pattern as they both laughed. Mae was wearing a loose jumper, but they could still see the baby bump despite the fabric.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bucky dropped his orange, the fruit bouncing to the floor and under the table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Our sources have identified the woman as Mae Taylor, a lab assistant at Stark Industries. This news has been welcomed by the stock market, with experts speculating on just who would inherit Stark Industries upon Tony Stark's retirement, they are now predicting the stock value of SI will increase-"</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve clicked off the television and the two of them sat in silence. Bucky's hand was shaking, still shaped to be holding the fruit. Steve was outwardly stunned, but his mind was racing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We've been gone three months." Bucky said quietly. "Do you think-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't- I don't know." Steve stuttered. Could she have been pregnant before they left? He supposed it was possible, but he hadn’t noticed her acting any differently. Steve didn’t really </span>
  <em>
    <span>know</span>
  </em>
  <span> anything about pregnancy, so he couldn’t tell from the photo how far along she would have been. He did know that she was on birth control when they had left, did that fail? They were always so careful-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Tony seemed happy - maybe it's his." There was bitterness in Bucky’s voice and the suggestion stabbed through Steve’s gut like an ice pick.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't, Buck." Steve's voice cracked as he closed his eyes against the thought. She wouldn’t have moved on so quickly, surely she wouldn’t have. Mae wasn’t like that, she loved them both deeply, he knew this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But they did leave her. They left her heartbroken and with Stark.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Either way, it's not like we can go back anytime soon." Bucky said with a sigh, pressing his palms flat to the table, the wood creaking unpleasantly. "You wanted to make a stand, that means sacrifices." Steve kept his eyes closed, keeping his breath even. It wasn't the first time Bucky laid the guilt on him for leaving Mae, but this one stung the worst. He could hear the distance building in his voice and he knew Bucky was at risk of slipping into the Winter Soldier, either that or shutting Steve out completely.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Buck, if I had known-" Steve began but Bucky's glare cut him off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You'd have signed the Accords?" Bucky scoffed and shook his head at Steve’s silence. "She's got Tony, at least. The kid will never want for anything." Bucky stood suddenly, walking out of the room and leaving the orange on the floor. Steve put his face into his hands, his breakfast forgotten.<br/></span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve waited an hour before he sought out Bucky. The brunette was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking at a photo he took from the tower before they left. It was of the three of them last christmas, a lazy morning scene where they had piled onto the couch, Mae wedged in the middle with her arms around Bucky’s waist and her legs on Steve’s lap. Bruce had taken the photo of them and got it printed, knowing that the two of them much preferred the tangible photo to digital. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bucky’s hand trembled slightly as he idly played with the edge of the photo, staring at it with a frown on his face. A stark contrast to his carefree smile from that christmas morning.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey,” Steve said quietly but Bucky didn’t look up. “Are you alright?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Bucky said roughly. “And that was a stupid question. How can I be? How could you?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve swallowed thickly before leaning against the doorframe, sinking down until he was squatting, his hands clasped together tightly. He was doing his best to keep level and calm, knowing that any high emotions at this point could tip Bucky into an episode, but if he was indifferent it could have the same effect. Steve was stuck, he didn’t know what to do.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not.” Steve said quietly. “I-I’m-” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We left her.” Bucky said harshly, a now familiar argument. “We didn’t even warn her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You think we should have?” Steve asked, unsure of himself. Bucky just shrugged with one shoulder, looking down to the photo before taking a deep breath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Probably wouldn’t have been any easier.” Bucky relented. “She would have talked us out of it. Just… had to blink those wide eyes and we would’ve stayed.” Steve took a shuddering breath, he didn’t know what to say, this wasn’t a situation he thought they would find themselves in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ve got a plan, we just need to stick to it and-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And sit on the sidelines while Stark raises a family with her?” Bucky interrupted bitterly, frowning at the photo. “The plan used to be we’d propose after two years and then move out of the tower. Get a nice place in Brooklyn. Look at retiring. Guess all those cards are off the table now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry.” Steve said mournfully. “If you want to go back I’ll call Stark, ask him to consider it.” Bucky huffed and shook his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And leave you on your own? What kind of guy would that make me?” Bucky pat the bed, signalling for Steve to come closer and sit next to him, Steve walked over, sitting close enough for Bucky to lean his head against his shoulder. “I want the kid to be ours so badly. I want to be there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know.” Steve said, his throat tight. “Me too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you think we should contact her?” Bucky asked quietly and Steve shook his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” He said with a sigh. “Tony would have her protected pretty well. SHIELD is probably watching her closely too.” Bucky’s head jerked up at the mention of SHIELD.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh god, Steve.” Bucky said quietly. “What if SHIELD takes an interest in the baby? Or Hydra?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can keep tabs on Hydra,” Steve said slowly in a bid to not panic Bucky into action. “Tony had Jarvis watch SHIELD, so I’m sure he’s monitoring them still.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The news is already out, what about Doom or-” Bucky began to panic and Steve pulled him into his arms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Buck, you need to breathe and think about this.” Steve said gently. “None of them know who Mae is, they don’t know her connection to us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The whole world knows her connection to Stark now, he’s the father of her baby!” Bucky almost shouted as he pushed from Steve. “Oh my god, Steve, he’s the father.” Bucky said, beginning to spiral into a panic.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We don’t know that, it’s just media rumours.” Steve said calmly, fighting down his own anxiety. “You know what Stark is like, how close they are, of course he’d fawn over her baby.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I know.” Bucky said bitterly. “I know </span>
  <em>
    <span>exactly</span>
  </em>
  <span> how close they are and </span>
  <em>
    <span>exactly</span>
  </em>
  <span> what Stark is like. I know that despite how he acts, he hates being alone and that Mae is the only one left there.” Bucky managed to voice all of Steve’s fear eloquently and it made his heart speed up. Steve had to fight the knot in his stomach, he couldn’t agree, couldn’t voice his concerns, he had to stay reasonable. Even if it was the last thing he wanted to do.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look, Buck,” Steve said quietly, calmly, his voice not betraying the swirl of anxiety in him. “We’re already tracking Hydra sniffing around SI, it’s not going to be too much for us to keep an eye on Mae as well. But you have to understand, we can’t approach them, not yet.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know,” Bucky said quietly, visibly coming down from his panic. His shoulders became less tense, his arms dropping to his side instead of his hand fisting his hair. Steve took that as a good sign and leaned in close, placing a kiss on the brunette’s shoulder and then another on his collar bone. When Bucky didn’t stop him he trailed his lips further, planting soft kisses on Bucky’s neck and jaw, angling to kiss his lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t,” Bucky said quietly and turned his face away. Steve swallowed thickly, not surprised by being told to stop. Bucky hadn’t wanted Steve to touch him since they left Mae.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know it’s stupid to ask now.” Steve said hoarsely, his hands still on Bucky’s skin, begging for whatever affection Bucky would allow him. “But will you ever forgive me for choosing to leave?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bucky swallowed thickly, looking to the floor. Steve waited patiently for the answer, but inside he was aching for anything, not closure, but at least a step towards having Bucky back again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I...can’t.” Bucky said, his voice breaking. Steve nodded his head and pressed his forehead to Bucky’s, at least he was afforded this. At least Bucky wasn’t pushing him away completely anymore.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I understand.” Steve said, trying not to let his voice sound as broken as he felt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sometimes I wonder if you do.” Bucky said quietly, another comment to barb into Steve’s soul. “Til the end of the line, Steve.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Have an early chapter, because I like to spoil you.</p><p>Let me know what you think :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“Well, that’s a generic bad guy name if I’ve ever heard one.” Mae muttered to herself.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Mae was in the elevator heading to the ground floor. She was on her way to see Dan, who had called her up in a mood demanding to see her. He had sounded somewhere between exasperated and furious, a strangely common state for Dan to be in. She had tried to talk to him over the phone, but then he politely reminded her that some conversations should be had in person and then told her to get her ass to the workshop in the same breath. Mae got the feeling that he knew about her pregnancy somehow. She probably should have told him earlier. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The elevators opened and she stepped out into the shining lobby of Stark Tower, spying Happy standing in the middle of the room with a frown in his face and his arms crossed over his chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keep the doors locked, Jarvis.” Happy ordered, his firm voice one that Mae didn’t hear too often coming from the man unless he was in the midst of escorting Tony through a crowd or giving orders to his security team. “This is worse than when Tony said he was Iron Man.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I believe it is not quite that bad, according to trending online searches.” Jarvis said and Mae stepped out of the elevator, wondering what the fuss was about. As she did a wave of lights and sound peaked, all coming from the closed lobby doors where reporters were calling her name and shouting questions.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No! No, no, no.” Happy said and rushed over, ushering her back into the elevator. The lights and sounds were still confusing Mae as he put himself between Mae and the reporters, blocking her from their view. “You’re not going anywhere, Mae.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the hell is going on?” Mae asked, dumbfounded that the people out there even knew who she was. One reporter was tapping on the glass insistently, calling her name in a high pitched voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’d better ask Tony.” Happy said with a grumble. “And stay upstairs for a while. I’ll let you know when it’s safe to go out again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Mae asked in a sort of confused frustration. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jarvis, take her back up.” Happy said and the elevator doors closed.<br/></span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You didn't get them to sign a non-disclosure agreement?" Pepper yelled as Mae walked into Tony's penthouse, the media storm outside enough to drive her straight to Tony who was apparently being berated in his office. Tony was at his desk for the briefest moment before standing up, pacing as if trying to avoid Pepper, his head tilted away as if her voice was physically hurting him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t do it on purpose, Pep, you know I’m no good at remembering those things.” Tony was exasperated, running his hand through his hair and loosening the tie at his neck. Pepper obviously didn’t think he was taking the situation seriously enough, more than likely conditioned to think that over the years of working with him. She let out a frustrated sound and marched to cut off his pacing, making him turn back towards his desk in a bid to escape her wrath. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"They think you're the </span>
  <em>
    <span>father</span>
  </em>
  <span> Tony. </span>
  <em>
    <span>You</span>
  </em>
  <span>." Pepper stressed and he made a sound of frustration, turning to Pepper with a frown.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's better than them knowing the fathers are most wanted number one and two!" Tony said angrily and immediately regretted his words when he spied Mae walking out of the elevator. He sucked in a sharp breath and looked to Pepper, the both of them exchanging a knowing look. "It will blow over, Pep." He said much quieter and winced when Pepper shot him a scathing look. He slinked down to sit on his couch, wary of the redhead that could ruin his life in an instant.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No it won't, not this time." Pepper said as she paced in front of him. "The stock price has already increased at the prospect of an heir to the Stark legacy, if we say otherwise it will drop more than it gained. Then </span>
  <em>
    <span>Mae</span>
  </em>
  <span> will be under scrutiny from more than just the media. What about SHIELD? Do </span>
  <em>
    <span>they </span>
  </em>
  <span>know she's carrying a baby that has the potential to be as genetically advanced as it's father?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"SHIELD have been out of the picture since Rogers left. If they do, they haven't made a sound about it." Tony said quietly, holding his arm out for Mae to come closer, she wasn’t sure she wanted to, Pepper was a frightening woman when she was scolding someone. Mae got up the courage and walked over, letting him pull her close as she sat beside him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We don't need to make a statement,” Tony said carefully, his hand fidgeting besides Mae’s. “Just keep radio silence on the matter."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Leaving them in limbo won't make the matter go away." Pepper stressed and Tony gave her puppy eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're the best at what you do, Pep. But trust me on this one." He said. Pepper made a sour face, as if she had much more to say on the matter but didn’t follow through on her comment. She let out a huff and turned on the spot, her heels making a loud noise on the floor as she walked out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony and Mae sat in silence for a moment, the both of them staring out into his spacious office. It was never good when Pepper walked out angry, it was like a break in a storm only to have it come back in doubled in strength.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There are reporters blocking the front door.” Mae said quietly, giving the reason she was in his office. Tony hummed and nodded, pinching the bridge of his nose and shutting his eyes tightly as if to fight against a headache.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know,” he said, “one of the assistants at the store yesterday took a photo of us and released it. Every morning news program ran with it as a headline.” He let out a sigh and shook his head. “I never remember the damned non-disclosures. This is my fault.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pepper wants you to release a statement.” Mae said and Tony was silent, looking to the coffee table in front of them with a frown. “You should-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We don’t need to.” Tony said flatly. “It’s not something to worry about.” Mae made an uncertain noise, Tony looking to her with a pained expression.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m kind of with Pepper on this one,” Mae said. “This is impacting not only your reputation, but your business as well.” Tony shot her a tight smile before reaching out and placing his hand over hers gently. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not worried about the business,” he said quietly, looking around his office. “It’s taken plenty of hits, scandals-” he waved his hand around dismissively. “Anything I could throw at it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Doesn’t mean you have to take on months of scrutiny.” Mae said. “You can just release a statement and clear up the misunderstanding.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And what then?” He asked, shaking his head with an anxious smile. “SHIELD knew before that you were with Barnes and Rogers. What happens when they want to have more of a direct influence on the child? Because, let’s face it, if the kid has even one percent chance of being enhanced by a super soldier’s genetics, SHIELD is going to want to be in on that party. They won’t stop to think about your welfare either, Mae, they’ll hurt you to get what they want.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Or worse,” Tony continued, running his hand through his hair. “What if Hydra or Doom or any of those crazy assholes hear about it? What if they wanted an enhanced child to raise or worse, what if they just wanted to get revenge on Captain America and the Winter Soldier by killing you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That was always a risk-” Mae began and was cut off by Tony standing to his feet quickly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not one I’m willing to take!” He protested and began to pace, scrubbing his palm over his face. “I can’t risk, I-” He stopped mid motion and looked to Mae with dark, sad eyes. “I can’t risk losing you as well. You’re my friend. And if simply staying silent will go so far to protect you, then I’m more than willing to do that.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s right.” Mae and Tony looked to the door to see Rhodey, freshly arriving in his dress blues with Pepper behind him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I asked you here to talk sense into him.” Pepper protested and Rhodey chuckled, walking up to Tony and patting him on the back with a disbelieving shake of his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pep, you haven’t seen the darker side of the superhero gig.” Rhodey said calmly, giving Mae a considering look before turning back to the redhead. “I have, and I agree with Tony on this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not his child-” Pepper began.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Which no one outside of this room needs to know about.” Rhodey said calmly. “In black and white terms, Iron Man’s family is a target. But the genetically enhanced child of Rogers or Barnes? That brings in a whole range of psychotic enemies what we’re just not prepared to fight. Not now, not with the Avengers disbanded.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So what, we go out there and tell everyone it’s Tony’s kid?” Pepper asked incredulously. “What happens when Steve or Bucky hears about that?” Silence fell into the room because nobody wanted to say the answer, no-one wanted to say the words in front of Mae.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If the media are already assuming it’s Tony’s.” Mae said quietly, her gaze fixed on a pile of magazines on the coffee table. Each one with Tony on the cover. “Chances are that Steve and Bucky have already heard. If they were at all worried, they would have tried to contact by now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So we keep quiet,” Tony said, sitting back down by Mae and taking her hand in his. “And if anyone asks-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ll tell them you’re an adorable couple brought together by the hardship of the Avengers splitting.” Rhodey said flatly. Mae looked up to meet the Colonel’s eyes and whatever he saw in her expression made him soften, made him drop the hard military demeanour for a moment. “I know it’s not ideal. Perfect world we wouldn’t be in this position, but we have to do what we can with the cards we’ve been dealt.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He likes that phrase.” Tony said as an aside and Rhodey shot him a less-than-patient look. Mae figured that Tony heard those exact words every time he did something scandalous.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can’t cover up the photo, it’s already out there.” Rhodey said. “But we can make it work to our advantage. It’s up to you, in the end.” Mae sighed and closed her eyes, feeling Tony’s hand tighten around hers. They were right, of course, about the potential danger out there. Mae knew it wasn’t safe before when she was surrounded by superheroes, now she was just a target. She opened her eyes and looked at Tony, he was closed off, waiting for her answer, sad brown eyes wanting to know if she would let him help.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” Mae said and she watched relief wash over Tony, his hands squeezing hers as he let out a rattling breath. “But as soon as this becomes a burden, you need to tell me.” Mae said firmly and Tony nodded, agreeing to her terms. “Or better yet, Rhodey will tell me.” Mae said and Rhodey nodded, knowing that Tony wouldn’t object until the situation was too far gone to fix.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good.” Rhodey said, crossing his arms over his chest. “Now that we’ve settled that, I take it Tony already talked to you about moving out and how it would be best for everyone’s mental health if you stayed here?” Tony looked to Rhodey incredulously and gave him a level glare.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I hadn’t quite gotten to that, thanks.” Tony said sarcastically and Rhodey chuckled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I’m just making sure.” Rhodey said teasingly and Pepper hid a smile. “Pepper and I are going to go out for lunch, you two can chat.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where was my invite?” Tony asked with a hint of annoyance and Rhodey shot him a smirk as he turned to lead Pepper out of the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You never had one.” Rhodey teased and Tony let out a small chuckle, shaking his head at his friend’s audacity. Pepper and Rhodey leaving meant that Mae and Tony were left alone in the office, it should have been a bit awkward, and maybe Tony felt it a little, but for the most part they were still comfortable with each other despite the newly created and elaborate lie they just found themselves in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’ll probably be a few days.” Tony began softly, looking tired and a little strung out. He had probably been dealing with the whole situation since the early morning while Mae had been sleeping in. “The reporters will start to leave tomorrow, then they’ll hang around waiting for movement for a day, after that they’ll find something else to chase and we’ll be able to leave the tower again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re practiced at this.” Mae said and he chuckled, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he smiled. “Suppose that’s what you get, growing up a genius.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Growing up under Howard’s shadow, sure.” Tony said and stood up walking over to his desk as if he was heading back to work then he stopped and tapped his fingers against the glass desk top. He looked as if he wanted to say something more, his lips parting before he changed his mind and closed them again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll head back down.” Mae said and stood, walking over to Tony and bumping his shoulder with hers affectionately. He managed a smile although Mae knew something was still on his mind. “And I guess I’ll try to figure out which room is going to be the nursery. Considering how much stuff we bought yesterday.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re staying then?” He asked, eyebrow arching in a bit of surprise when Mae shrugged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For this to work, I kind of need to.” Tony looked almost hurt and a bit guilty. Mae slipped her arms around his waist and eventually got him to respond by wrapping his arms around her shoulders. “Besides, good view and good company? How can I beat that? Although, is it weird to live with your boss? Normal people would think it’s weird.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Normal is boring.” Tony said as he relaxed, sounding a bit more cheerful. “It might be weird, but then so is eating just about every meal together, calling in the middle of the night, shopping for baby stuff together-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We gave up on having boundaries, huh?” Mae mused and he laughed, squeezing her tighter and silently pointing out that hugging in his office probably wasn’t normal either. It wasn’t, but Mae wasn’t going to give up on a good old fashioned cuddle for anything.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mae pressed the button on the elevator intending to go to the workshop, Tony had told her to take it easy this week, but today Tony was in his office and what he didn’t know he couldn’t tell her off for doing. The button to the elevator didn’t light up and Mae frowned, the power wasn’t cut off and Jarvis was operating-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jarvis, did Tony ask that you lock me in on my floor?” Mae asked with a hint of tiredness. “Because if he did just so I wouldn’t go to the workshop, that’s really not cool and I’ll climb out the window like a very determined Rapunzel just to beat his arse-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sir has asked that your floor goes into lockdown for your safety.” Jarvis said casually and Mae felt a bit indignant about it. “He is currently talking to a SHIELD agent and requested that you remain in your rooms.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“An Agent?” Mae asked curiously. “Coulson?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, Agent Smith.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, that’s a generic bad guy name if I’ve ever heard one.” Mae muttered to herself. “Can I see? Can you put the camera on?” Jarvis turned on the television, the image of Tony’s office showing from up high where the camera sat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony was sitting at his desk, pointedly ignoring the man who was standing in front of him in favour of paperwork. Mae knew immediately that Tony was putting on a show, he almost always refused to handle anything on paper, if it wasn’t digital then he wasn’t interested. Pepper even struggled to get him to sign contracts that more traditional companies sent over, Tony often telling her that if a company couldn’t handle a digital contract, then they were destined to collapse.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The agent was in the typical standard black suit with a white shirt, a mop of slicked down, thinning black hair combed back to cover a bald spot on the crown of his head. The agent was no nonsense, but held himself arrogantly, as if he thought Tony an easy mission to handle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I already told Fury I wanted nothing to do with you lot anymore.” Tony said fatly, not looking up to the agent. “Unless there is something threatening all existence, or the UN calls for Iron Man, then we’ve got nothing to talk about.” The agent ran a hand down his tie, straightening it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not here to take up your time, Mr Stark.” The agent said in a nasal voice. “I would like to speak with your assistant, Miss Taylor. I’ve come to ask you as a courtesy.” Tony flicked a glance to the agent, a frown on his brow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s not available.” Tony said with annoyance. “Any questions you have you can ask me directly.” The agent nodded once, but didn’t protest that he couldn’t speak to Mae directly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We were made aware of a media release, no doubt you have seen it too.” The agent said and Tony hummed non-commitally. “We are curious to ascertain the parentage of Miss Taylor’s child to help our research into Erskine’s serum-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re wasting your time.” Tony said flatly, blatantly not paying the agent any attention. “If you want the father, you’re looking at him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mr Stark,” the agent said cloyingly, “we are aware that Miss Taylor was in a relationship with both Rogers and Barnes before they left.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Key word there, Agent. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Was.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Mae and I got together almost immediately after. Not that it is any of your business.” Tony was beginning to sound annoyed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d like to corroborate this story with Miss Taylor herself if I may-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You may not.” Tony said flatly, turning his attention to the agent. “I’ve had more than enough of SHIELD butting themselves into my personal life.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mr Stark, if there is even a slight chance that the child is genetically advanced-” The agent began but Tony cut him off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think you’re listening, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Agent</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Tony said in a threatening tone. “You are not to approach myself or Mae in regards to my family business, if I find you have overstepped your bounds, I will have Jarvis dismantle your organisation bit by bit and sell it off to the Russians.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The agent paused for a moment, considering his response before replying. “I don’t take threats idly-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Neither do I.” Tony warned. “Stay the hell away from us. Jarvis, see the Agent out of my building.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, sir.” Jarvis replied and the agent stood up with a scowl on his face. Straightening his tie again before turning and walking out of the room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The television turned off and Mae ran her hand through her hair, her mind going in circles thinking about the agent and his interest in the baby. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jarvis, make sure you scan every inch of where that agent has been for surveilance devices.” Mae said and the AI confirmed. Mae knew Jarvis scanned the whole building daily, but having it done now would make Mae feel a bit better. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sir has lifted the lockdown protocal on your floor,” Jarvis said and Mae thanked him idly for letting her know. “Sir has also changed the name of the lockdown protocol to ‘Rapunzel’ and said he would ‘like to see you try to give him an arse kicking.’” Mae laughed and turned towards the elevator.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh you better tell him to get ready,” Mae said with a grin, “because I’m coming up there right now.” Jarvis was silent for a moment and Tony’s amused voice rang out from the speakers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bring it, short-stack.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Short chapter because otherwise too much is happening at once!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>"Kiss me again."</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Tony was bent over at his workstation fiddling with the interface on one of his helmets when Mae walked into the workshop, the blast of music dying down as she approached thanks to Jarvis. Tony flashed her a smile when she was close, knowing she had just spent most of the morning in Medical getting tests done. He had offered to go with her multiple times but Mae had insisted it wasn’t necessary and so he eventually gave in and busied himself with work.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The doc says everything is good.” Mae said although she was certain Tony would have already looked at the records from Medical. One of the benefits of having your own infirmary in the building. “Heartbeat is still strong, the baby is bigger than normal, but healthy.” Tony nodded, happy to hear good news for one.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you do the paternity test?” Tony asked carefully, not wanting to sound like he was pushing for her to take it. Mae nodded and sat on a little stool beside his workbench, her brow pinched in a frown. “You don’t need to tell me-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s Steve’s.” Mae said and idly picked up a screwdriver from the bench. “I mean, it was either one or the other right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“At least now we know the baby could potentially have Erskine’s formula like Steve, instead of the Hydra trash Barnes ended up with.” Tony reminded her. “It was a good thing to find out, for your health and the baby’s.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know.” Mae said with a sigh. “I’ve just been trying to put them out of my head is all." Mae paused for a moment before meeting his eyes with a worried frown. "Did you want to- you know, what we talked about?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony let out a surprised breath, he didn’t think that she would bring it up again. They had talked about the next step in concealing the child’s parentage after the Agent came sniffing around a week ago. Knowing that SHIELD’s next move in trying to find information would be to try to hack into their medical records, they had discussed having Jarvis alter the records so it showed Tony as the biological father. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jarvis said that there has already been a couple of attempts to access your records,” Tony said quietly, Mae frowning at the information as unease crawled up her spine. “If we were going to alter the records, we might as well leave them somewhere those ham-fisted agents can access easily. I don’t want them to </span>
  <em>
    <span>actually</span>
  </em>
  <span> figure out how to get past Jarvis.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It would have to be believable,” Mae added, “not too easy to get to.” Tony nodded and looked Mae over with a soft, worried expression.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure?” He asked, concern clear in his voice. “It’s one thing to </span>
  <em>
    <span>say</span>
  </em>
  <span> I’m the father, it’s another thing altogether to falsify the records. It would go on all of the kid’s documents, the birth certificate, everything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> sure?” Mae stressed. “Tony, it’s going to affect you as well. I won’t agree if you’re uncomfortable with it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m uncomfortable with SHIELD sinking their teeth into you.” Tony said with a gravelly voice. “And that idea is surprisingly motivational. Look, I’m not worried about me, I trust you. Always have. And if this kid has even a fraction of your nature then I know it’s going to be okay down the line. If we do this, there is a good chance that SHIELD won’t come looking for information again. If we don’t, then who knows if they try more extreme measures to get the information they want.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mae nodded, looking to the screwdriver between her fingers as she nervously spun it over and over. It wasn’t a terrible idea, it would help keep her safe. But a part of her didn’t want to erase Steve from being the father, even though she knew logically that Steve would always be the father genetically, it just seemed like another step of pushing him away. She missed them both, it was a constant, aching tear in her soul that just didn’t seem to be healing, regardless of how long had passed. She had been staring at the screwdriver too long, prompting Tony to reach out and touch her hand lightly to comfort her as if he knew what she was thinking. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It doesn’t mean you love them any less.” Tony said softly, hitting the mark dead on like always. “Altering a record, it’s just letters and numbers. And if they were here to give you advice, they’d probably tell you to go for it because it would keep you safe. But it’s up to you, I won’t do it if you’re unsure.” Mae looked at Tony, his small smile curling up one corner of his mouth and big brown eyes patiently waiting for an answer. Mae huffed and nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s do it.” Mae said and Tony nodded, letting out a long breath before giving the instruction to Jarvis. “Congratulations, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Dad</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Mae said teasingly and Tony laughed, shaking his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A father at my age? I’m really falling into the celebrity stereotype.” He joked. Mae dropped the screwdriver back onto the bench and met his eyes, giving him a smile. Tony could see immediately that she hadn’t slept enough recently and was tempted to tell her to go have a rest when she perked up from a thought. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I almost forgot,” Mae said and walked over to the wall of Iron Man suits, scanning her hand to open up the draw that held a few of her prototypes. She pulled out a black container with a red and gold ribbon tied around it, bringing it over and placing it in front of Tony before kissing him on the cheek. “Happy Birthday.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You hid my birthday present in my own workshop?” Tony asked with a chuckle. “The </span>
  <em>
    <span>audacity</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Wait, I’m certain you already gave me one.” His birthday had been months ago, but Mae hadn’t finished the project. She had given him a placeholder gift before, buying herself a bit more time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Best place for it since you’d never look. And this is your proper gift.” Mae said and sat down on the stool again. Tony untied the ribbon gently and opened the case, showing a pair of square sunglasses. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I like it!” Tony said as he put them on, an interface showing up on the lens that was the same as when he was inside the suit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I took the liberty to work off your Stark Glasses design, and added a couple of things.” Mae held her hand out and Tony passed her the glasses. She also reached for his wrist that had his watch, touching the lens to the watch face until a small synchronisation icon appeared. Tony wondered when she had managed to get a hold of his watch and install the software, suspecting that she may have colluded with Jarvis to get it done.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Customisable frames and lenses,” Mae tapped a button on the watch and the frame of the sunglasses changed from black to deep red to blue, another button and the lens went from tinted to clear. “And it’s capable of tethering to different nano housing.” She held the corner of the frame to the watch and the glasses began to crumble, the nano-particles collapsing and sliding into the watch. A small icon of the glasses appeared and she pressed it, the particles streaming out into the palm of Tony’s hand and forming the glasses again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mae, this is,” Tony was lost for words, a very rare thing. “Thank you. It’s amazing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s from Jarvis too.” Mae said and gave Tony a wink, he chuckled and put the glasses on, the interface lighting up with Mae’s name, heartbeat, temp, address and social media statuses, of which there were little. “He did all the hard work.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course.” Tony played along and gave her a cheeky smile. “Thank you, Jarvis.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are welcome, sir.” Jarvis said. “Miss Taylor, I believe the doctor insisted that you rest for the remainder of the day.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wow,” Mae said and looked up at the ceiling. “Jarvis, are you telling on me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, ma’am.” Jarvis said and Mae and Tony laughed. Properly scolded by the AI, Mae begged her leave, saying she’d go and sit on the couch for the rest of the day as per doctor’s orders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once Mae left Tony took off the glasses and looked at them closely. Mae really had his style pinned, not to mention the sheer amount of work that would have gone into creating something so complicated. He smiled to himself, turning the glasses over and seeing on the inside of the frame a small engraving of the Mark I helmet. He chuckled and put them down on his bench, his mind already whirring with possible additional programs he could add to it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I would like to point out that I had little to do with the construction.” Jarvis said and Tony looked up to see the blueprints of the design displayed on his monitor. “Miss Taylor spent over fifteen hundred hours on the project and was quite disppointed when she did not have it ready on time.” Tony huffed a short breath, amazed at how much time she had put in for something as simple as a birthday present, especially considering she would have had her normal job as well as maintaining the Avengers gear </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> holding down a steady relationship with two of the most emotionally inept people Tony knew.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“J, make some dinner reservations for me,” Tony said suddenly, standing up as he tidied up his workbench a little.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Certainly, any place in particular?” Jarvis asked and Tony hummed in thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Somewhere private with an amazing view.” Tony said. “Eight o’clock for two.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony stepped onto the elevator and called out to Jarvis to head to the common floor, hoping that Mae was resting on the couch as Jarvis had insisted. In recent days Mae had become more and more frustrated at her growing size and constant exhaustion and it was taking more for Tony to convince her that it </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> okay to slow down, good thing Mae listed to Jarvis more often than not. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony smiled to himself, amazed that the idea of slowing down would have even entered his mind. Even Pepper had mentioned that he was becoming less destructive, maybe he was getting old. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Got those dinner reservations booked, J?” Tony asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, Sir.” Jarvis replied. “And may I add, I am relieved that yourself and Miss Taylor will be spending some down time together, I believe that it is needed on both your behalfs.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, it will be good.” Tony said absently. He honestly didn’t think twice about taking Mae to dinner. Of whether or not the media would create a storm out of it. They already thought he was the father of her child, he might as well use that to try and keep SHIELD off their radar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The doors opened and he could hear the news on the television, a woman reporting on a sighting of something. He rounded the corner and saw large photos of Captain America and the Winter Soldier on the television, Mae was watching intently with her hand covering her mouth nervously.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Both Captain America and Sergeant Barnes have been sighted on the outskirts of New York, apparently engaging unknown entities in combat.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>The television flicked to phone footage of Steve slamming his shield into what Tony could recognise as a Doombot before Barnes ran up to the person holding the phone and snatched the device from the person, the video cutting off abruptly. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“It is not known if the two former Avengers are still in the state, but it is advised that the men are still considered dangerous and should not be approached.”</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Turn it off, J.” Mae said, her voice breaking as she slinked to sit on the couch. In the silent room Tony could clearly hear the point when she broke down into tears.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony backed away, walking silently into the elevator. When the doors had closed he took a deep breath and let it out steadily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cancel the reservations, Jarvis.” He said. “And make a call.”</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve pushed open the door of an out of the way roadhouse diner and walked in, Bucky close behind him. The whole place was empty, the black and white vinyl floor bright under flourescent lights. Steve’s eyes drew to one of the booths where the man he was meeting waited, armoured fingers drumming a rhythm on the table top.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony sat on the red vinyl seat of the diner booth and Rhodey sat beside him. Both men taking up a lot of space with the bulk of their suits. Steve wasn't surprised to see Rhodey, but he was surprised to see him show up in his Warmachine suit. He shouldn’t have been, but it seemed just such an aggressive move considering Tony had asked to meet so they could ‘talk’. Steve knew it was to level the playing field in case things went wrong. Out of his suit Tony didn’t stand a chance against him, but in it the odds were turned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Silently, Steve and Bucky approached, taking a seat with Steve across from Tony and Bucky on the outside across from Rhodey. Each of them eyed their counterpart wearily, looking for signs of weakness or even just change from the norm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tony.” Steve said in greeting, every part of him tense and ready for action.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bucky shifted his leg out of the booth, making himself ready to either fight or run, but his hands were clasped on the table in front of him. Close enough to show he had nothing in his hands, but forward enough to have reach if he decided to attack the man across from him. The man in question, Rhodey, was eyeing off Bucky's posture, knowing full well that Bucky was ready to grab for him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Rogers." Tony said from behind thick rimmed glasses. At first Steve wondered if it was a sign of his age, that Tony's eyesight was finally beginning to wane, but on closer inspection he saw the flickering of words on the lens and realised it was new technology. Tony noticed Steve eyeing off the glasses and smirked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You like them?" He asked as he slid them from his face. The glasses began to collapse, disintegrating and somehow swarming into the glove of Tony's Iron Man suit. "Mae made them for my birthday. Nano-Tech. She's become quite the engineer." Steve watched the glasses disappear, he knew Mae was smart, but he didn’t know that she could make stuff like that on her own. Idly he realised that it would have taken her a long time to do that, a lot of effort solely to give Stark a gift. He pushed that thought aside, he couldn’t afford to get distracted here.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why did you call us, Stark?" Steve said flatly, glancing out the diner window at the night rain, checking for movement. To say he was surprised to get Tony’s call was an understatement. When he sent Tony the phone with his contact, he really didn’t expect to hear from him. At least not outside of existence-threatening emergencies.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No sweet talk?” Tony said with humour and then huffed and glanced out the window when Steve didn’t respond. “Fine. I've come to offer you a chance to sign the Accords." Tony said flatly and Steve scoffed, sitting back on the seat. "Full pardon for you and any other fugitive Avengers who want to come back. I'm not so sure about letting you back into my home as yet, but I have a compound-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're serious." Steve said flatly, his expression one of simmering anger. If Tony was arrogant enough to just assume Steve would come back after a few months then he really didn’t understand why he left in the first place. "You really think we would just change our minds about this?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Given the circumstances, yes." Tony said confidently and Steve laughed derisively, running a hand over his face. "Even though the team broke up due to your poor decisions and crime has spiked as a result, I'm still putting the offer on the table."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We've been through this," Steve said with a frown, already growing tired of the conversation. "We can't be leashed by bureaucracy. What happens when the people who restrain us become the people we need to fight? Will you still play by their rules when they're holding the gun to </span>
  <em>
    <span>your</span>
  </em>
  <span> head?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Would you just </span>
  <em>
    <span>fucking listen.</span>
  </em>
  <span>" Tony hissed at Steve who clenched his jaw unhappily. "I'm not talking about rules or bureaucracy, I'm talking about </span>
  <em>
    <span>Mae</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I'm talking about the woman you supposedly love, who's at home feeling completely fucking abandoned and scared out of her mind." Bucky seemed to close in on himself, glancing at Steve to respond. Steve noticed out of the corner of his eye, because he knew Bucky better than anyone else. But Stark didn’t notice, neither did Rhodes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm not doing this out of an inflated sense of ego, Stark." Steve shot back, implying that ego was Tony's domain. "This </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> for Mae, and everyone else out there who needs protection from the people in charge!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Jesus fucking Christ, Cap." Tony let out in a groan. "I'm not here because I woke up one day and felt magnanimous. I'm here because someone I cherish has just been abandoned at the hardest time in her life by not one, but </span>
  <em>
    <span>two</span>
  </em>
  <span> people she loved."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Then why aren't </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> there?" Steve hissed back, barely holding on to the anger that was simmering beneath his skin. How dare Tony demand to see him only to flaunt Mae in his face. He already knew that he had hurt her, he didn’t need another reminder. "You're building a family with her aren't you? America's most celebrated couple!"</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“It's your child, you fucking idiot!"</span>
  </em>
  <span> Tony yelled, waving his arms around in frustration. Steve and Bucky paused, looking at each other for a brief second. Steve’s heart hammered in his chest, they had speculated, of course, about if Mae was pregnant when they left. But to hear it from Tony of all people, it really sent the message home. "For years you'd go on about having a family, having a reason to come home, to make all those years of fighting and the ones you lost worth it. You </span>
  <em>
    <span>have</span>
  </em>
  <span> that, but you're not giving in for what? Your fucking </span>
  <em>
    <span>pride?</span>
  </em>
  <span>"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re running around New York,” Tony continued angrily, “barely ten miles from the home you used to share with her. She </span>
  <em>
    <span>knows</span>
  </em>
  <span> you’re in the city. She gets those reports just like the rest of us, instead for her it’s just cementing the fact that you don’t give a shit about her or this child.” Steve’s jaw tensed as he tried to stare Tony down, to Tony that was a clear sign that he had hit a nerve and he didn’t feel guilty about doing so.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm not having this argument again," Steve said flatly, without emotion although there was a slight waver to his voice. "You know my stance on this."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve held himself together as did Bucky. The offer was there, clear as day, to go back. Back to Avenging, back to Mae. But if they did that now, what were they giving up? Steve hated that he was taking the side of the greater good. He wanted nothing more than to be selfish right now. He felt guilt when he glanced at Bucky, his friend never cared that it was for the greater good, he was there for Steve. Plain and simple.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But all the pain they’d felt over the last months couldn’t be for nothing. He couldn’t allow that. He made a sacrifice, he needed results.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well I hope you know what you're giving up." Tony said cruelly. "Because we both know this isn't just going to be a week or a month. You're giving up </span>
  <em>
    <span>years</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Years of being a father, of giving Barnes the chance to be one. And what happens if you get caught? That's the rest of your life, pal."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That can be avoided," Bucky said, his own voice careful and calculating. "You hold sway with them, you could push to amend the Accords." Tony and Rhodey looked to Bucky in disbelief.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why the hell would he do that?" Rhodey bit back. "He's not in the wrong here."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Not in our eyes," Steve said bitterly and Tony scoffed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, between the three of us, Cap." Tony said with a false smile. "I'm the one who's not a fugitive </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> I’m stepping up to raise a kid." The simmering anger under his skin boiled over, almost making him see red. Steve surged forward and grabbed Tony by the collar, pulling him over the table between them and raising his fist. Tony and Rhodey's repulsors charged, halting Steve with his fist in the air.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That make you angry, Cap?" Tony laughed breathlessly as he hovered over the table. Steve looked from his fist to the table to Tony and his arrogant fucking smile. "That </span>
  <em>
    <span>I'm</span>
  </em>
  <span> the one who's been there for your baby? Selfish, arrogant, playboy Stark is the man who'll be there while </span>
  <em>
    <span>you </span>
  </em>
  <span>rot away in hiding, wondering what your kid's voice even sounds like."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Shut up, Tony." Steve growled, his hand shaking with anger. He was so close to pulverising Tony into the table. He knew he’d given Mae up, but he didn’t know about the baby when he did. Having Tony, of all people, take what he had wanted so much was driving him to the edge. Tony, who’s eyes were lit up and daring Steve to follow through and prove what a horrible person he was, Tony who was reckless in everything he did. Even this, inviting two known fugitives to a diner in the middle of the night, just showed everything Tony was. This was the man who had the confidence of the woman he loved.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"First ultrasound, first heartbeat, shit - I'm the one who bought the pregnancy test." Tony continued and Steve grimaced, the image clear as day. Tony was there to hold Mae when they left, he was there when she found out, he was there for the first ultrasound, first heartbeat, all the firsts that should have been Steve and Bucky. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's </span>
  <em>
    <span>enough</span>
  </em>
  <span>," Bucky warned, his stance ready to pounce at Rhodey. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Want to know what I'm doing on Friday?" Tony asked cruelly. "I'm going with Mae to find out the sex of </span>
  <em>
    <span>our</span>
  </em>
  <span> child." Steve punched him with a yell, then it was a flurry of repulsors and fists as the four of them brawled in the diner. </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>By the time they had stopped running Steve was actually out of breath. They had come to a stalemate in the diner, eventually breaking apart and scattering while Tony told Rhodes to let them go, Rhodes nursing a shoulder injury while Tony was left with quite a few bruises. Steve could see the edge of the city far off in the distance, Stark Tower one of the many buildings making up the skyline. Bucky stopped next to him and leaned against the wall of an abandoned garage, the night quiet except for the occasional car and their panting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve glanced to him, but Bucky had his back turned to Steve. Steve swallowed, a faint nervousness settling over him and he had to take a few steadying breaths before he dared to speak.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t be angry at me.” Steve said quietly, he had intended to say something else, something comforting or a detail of their next step, but the words that came out were almost pitiful. Bucky didn’t turn to look at him, just stayed braced against the wall.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not angry at you.” Bucky said flatly and Steve nodded, his anxiety not easing at all as Bucky’s palms scraped against the bricks. “I’m angry at myself.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Steve asked in surprise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m angry at myself,” Bucky repeated, “because I let you walk out. And then the fool I am, I followed you.” Steve closed his eyes, his throat tight. This wasn’t what he wanted, not at all. “Those people in there were our friends once. We had fought by each other’s side- we </span>
  <em>
    <span>saved</span>
  </em>
  <span> each other’s lives. Now we’re just brawling in a diner in the middle of the night.” Bucky laughed, but it was bitter. “We just threw away our one and only chance to go back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Buck-” Steve was cut off by the sound of Bucky punching the wall and the bricks cracking beneath his fist. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m a father, but my kid is never going to know who I am.” Bucky said sullenly and Steve’s chest tightened at the words. “I know </span>
  <em>
    <span>why</span>
  </em>
  <span> you chose to leave, I do, I understand that. But you never gave Mae the chance to know why, and because of that the kid won’t know who you are either.” Bucky sighed and stepped away from the wall, looking at Steve with a horribly blank expression. “Maybe it’s for the best.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please don’t say that.” Steve’s voiced cracked as he felt tears threaten his eyes. It was too much, too much pain all at once.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Better the child grows up to think Iron Man is it’s father, rather than two fugitives.” Bucky said blankly and it was a punch to Steve’s gut, his breath hitching at the words. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t mean that-” Steve began but was cut off by Bucky’s sharp gaze.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Look</span>
  </em>
  <span> at us, Steve.” Bucky held his arms wide, presenting himself in his worn armour, dark circles under his eyes from not enough sleep. “What kind of life could we provide for them? Iron Man-” Bucky gestured towards Stark Tower, glittering in the distance. “Iron Man is a </span>
  <em>
    <span>hero</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and Mae is- she’s right </span>
  <em>
    <span>there.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” A couple of bright lights flashed towards the tower and the two of them knew it was Stark and Rhodes, one of the lights peeled away while the other continued on to the tower, eventually becoming too small to see. Bucky let out a sigh, his hand dropping to his side with a thud while he watched Stark make his way back to Mae.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We will get there eventually,” Steve said, knowing it wan’t going to help soothe Bucky. It wasn’t even comforting to himself. “I know I keep saying it, but we’re doing the </span>
  <em>
    <span>right</span>
  </em>
  <span> thing, Buck. For everyone.” Bucky looked at him and seemed to almost give up, his shoulders slumping as he shook his head and cast his eyes to the gravel beneath his feet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If we die tomorrow,” Bucky steadily spoke, “is your last thought going to be about the greater good?” Steve was silent in response because it wasn’t.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It would be about </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Steve said earnestly and Bucky huffed a laugh, shaking his head. “It would be about Mae.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We should have taken the deal.” Bucky said without emotion, slowly heading out of the relative shelter of the building’s shadow. He moved past Steve without looking at him, leaving the blonde to trail after him silently.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Mae woke up in the middle of the night. She wasn’t sure what had woken her, the room was silent and Jarvis hadn’t alerted her to anything. Strangely wide awake, she sat up and looked at the time; one in the morning. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Miss Taylor,” Jarvis spoke quietly so he wouldn’t startle her. “I believe your presence may be needed in the common room.” Mae frowned, scratching at her sleep tangled hair before standing up, her oversized shirt reaching her thighs and covering all the parts of her that should be. Mae wandered to the elevator as if in a daze, wondering just what needed her attention in an empty building in the middle of the night.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Mae got to the common room she figured it out. Tony was by the window in his Iron Man suit and forehead pressed against the glass as he looked out at the city blanketed in night. His reactor was reflecting brightly, illuminating his mournful expression. He held a glass of scotch in his hand, contemplating it for a moment before listlessly pouring it out onto the floor and dropping the glass with a thud.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Tony?" Mae called as she approached, he looked to her out of the corner of his eye but made no other movement. Gently she reached out and placed her hand on his forearm, the metal suit cold. He shook his head sadly, the smell of liquor wafting up from the floor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I tried," he rasped, "but they didn't- I'm sorry."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Tried what?" Mae asked and reached up to cup his jaw, trying to get his attention. He flinched in pain, turning his face so she could see the mass of bruises down his left side. Mae let out a worried gasp and he tried to look away again, quickly giving up to let Mae inspect and fuss over him when she refused to let him turn away from her. "Tony, what happened?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Rogers," Tony gruffed and Mae stilled, eyes wide. "I saw him and Barnes, asked them to reconsider. They refused, we fought." He shrugged, as if to show that it wasn’t a big deal, but then his expression crumpled and Mae could see clearly how the night was taking a toll. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You saw them?" Mae asked, her voice small. Tony took a steadying breath before meeting her eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm sorry," Tony shook his head. "I thought that if they knew about the baby- If I offered them a pardon- I thought I could convince them to come home. Didn't pan out and they got away again." Tony huffed a laugh and ran a gauntleted hand through his hair, tugging harshly on the dark strands. "I kept thinking, if it was </span>
  <em>
    <span>my</span>
  </em>
  <span> kid and I was them, I'd do whatever I could to come back. Instead they just asked me to amend the accords, as if I </span>
  <em>
    <span>could</span>
  </em>
  <span> do such a thing. I'm not the fucking government." Tony scoffed and winced again, keenly aware of how silent Mae was. “I’m sorry, I thought I could fix this but maybe I’ve made it worse. I just- I wanted to see you happy again, but maybe I’ve fucked the situation up further. Rhodey said I needed to be careful and I didn’t listen, he said not to antagonize Rogers but he was such a stubborn </span>
  <em>
    <span>jackass-</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Tony cut himself off and looked out over the city again, letting out a sigh of defeat. “It wasn’t my… proudest moment.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mae pulled him from the window, at first Tony resisted but it only took a small tug for him to start moving with her. Leading him to the kitchen she opened the freezer and got an ice pack, pressing it against his face gently as he winced. He closed his eyes, hand reaching up to cover hers as she held the ice pack against his skin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you okay?" He asked in a quiet voice laced with worry. "You're not saying anything."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I wish you told me," Mae said and swallowed thickly, looking to her feet for a moment. Tony reached up and put his free hand on her waist, watching her closely through his eyelashes, keeping her close. "I could have saved you from wasting your time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"They deserved a chance," Tony barely whispered and Mae gave a sad smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, but you know how stubborn Steve is," Mae sighed. "I knew the moment they left that it would take a lot for them to come back. Even if they </span>
  <em>
    <span>did</span>
  </em>
  <span> love me as much as they claimed, they didn't think twice about leaving. So I'm not holding my breath."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Silence stretched between them, a long moment of staring at each other in the dark, illuminated by Tony's reactor. He touched at her jaw, the metal cool as he reached up and pushed her hair behind her ear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you," Mae said and his eyebrows raised a bit in confusion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"For what?" He asked, genuinely confused to what she was referring to. Mae gave him a queer smile as if he should have known. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Everything.” Mae said with a huff of disbelief. She never got over how blind Tony always was to his own good deeds. “Through this whole thing, you've supported me. You didn't have to."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I wanted to." He said in a whisper and Mae smiled. Tony parted his lips as if to continue talking then paused, a frown flashing over his expression before he inhaled shakily. "Maybe...I didn't realise how much I wanted to for a long time." Tony shuffled on his feet and Mae realised how close they were standing together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm not sure what you mean?" Mae whispered and Tony bit his lip in thought, still frowning.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I think- I have feelings for you." He said breathlessly and Mae's eyes widened, her mouth parting in surprise. "And, I think I want to kiss you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You- you do?" Mae rasped and he nodded his head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know my timing is, well, terrible.” Tony said, breathless and quick. “I </span>
  <em>
    <span>just</span>
  </em>
  <span> tried to get those two idiots back, but a part of me- a part that I really shouldn’t admit to- was a bit relieved when they said no. I understand if your answer is that you don’t feel the same, I don’t expect you to-” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mae hesitated for a second before closing the space between them and placing a gentle kiss on his lips, cutting his rambling short. It was like something clicked into place, no awkwardness or uncertainty, it felt natural. It felt </span>
  <em>
    <span>right</span>
  </em>
  <span>. When they parted he smiled widely in relief, pulling her back in for a longer, more passionate one. The ice pack dropped down between them to the floor as his arms slid around her waist to keep her close, her fingers carding through his hair and bringing a gasp from his lips. He wanted to go further, a building, rushing need threatened to take over his senses but instead he slowed and pulled away. Mae’s grasp trying to keep him close almost undoing his resolve.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We shouldn’t-” Tony said with a reluctant gasp, eyes closed and lips barely an inch from hers. “I don’t want this to be some fling, I don’t- I need to know you feel the same.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tony-” Mae gasped, her body strung tight like a bowstring, she would have given anything in that moment for the tension to break.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I won’t touch you until you want me to.” Tony said, his voice thin and gravelly. “Until you know it’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>me</span>
  </em>
  <span> that you want.” His fingers carded through her hair slowly and gently, each strand slipping along the metal of his gauntlet. Mae wanted the fingers to be flesh and blood, she wanted to feel his work hardened hand along her skin, just the thought of it making her skin shiver. She met his gaze, the brown of his eyes bright despite the only light in the room coming from the city skyline. He was waiting, searching for any clue as to her thoughts. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kiss me again.” Mae said, a quiet demand that he found irresistible. He pressed his lips against hers, much softer than the rush of emotions from before, the both of them relaxing into each other’s arms as if they were designed to be there. The chemistry between them was real. Passionate or gentle, the spark was igniting something more in her and she could feel that it was having the same effect on him. It wasn’t a case of having to separate her friend from this new, heated version of Tony. He was one in the same, nothing disjointed or awkward, it felt natural to be touching him in this way. Mae sighed, light and contented and it made his heart skip a beat. When he pulled away she didn’t want him to leave and she had to stop herself from chasing after him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she opened her eyes he was smiling with content, although she could still see a hint of worry in his eyes. She shared the same worry, of course, it wasn’t too long ago that she was happy with two other men, could she move on so quickly? Could Tony be with her knowing that she was carrying someone else’s child? So many questions were flitting in her mind, threatening to drag her down. The biggest one being - how long until Tony decided he didn’t want to be with her?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tell me what you’re thinking.” Tony said in a soft whisper, watching all of Mae’s emotions play out in her far too expressive eyes. That was another point of difference between him and the other two, Tony </span>
  <em>
    <span>asked</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He always asked questions to find out her thoughts and feelings, rather than acting on impulse. He didn’t treat her like a mission, or as someone too fragile to speak truthfully to.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m wondering when you’ll figure out that I’m really not worth hanging around for.” Mae said and the words brought a pained expression to his features. He hit the arc reactor on his chest and his suit began to disintegrate and slip back into the housing, his hand cupping her cheek as he locked his determined eyes with hers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m wondering when you’ll figure the same out about me.” Tony said with a slight shake of his head. “I’m not perfect. I’m arrogant, brash, childish. I’ve more than earned my playboy title and I’ve hurt a lot of people along the way. But I know when something works, when something is right. That’s us. You’re my best friend, you’re the first thing I think of in the morning and the last at night. I’m </span>
  <em>
    <span>never</span>
  </em>
  <span> going to look at you and decide you’re not worth </span>
  <em>
    <span>every</span>
  </em>
  <span> ounce of effort I can muster. I want to be here, with you, for every moment for the rest of my life.” Tony took a shaking breath and swallowed, looking to the floor and back with a hint of nerves.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I know you’re still hurting from Bucky and Steve.” He continued. “I’m not going to stand here and tell you to get over them or try to compare myself to them. What we have is different. A good, wonderful different with a lot of potential. But I need to know if it’s something you want, because I can’t stand here and say it’s not going to break my heart if this falls apart tomorrow or in a week or a month. I can’t put myself in that position, I honestly don’t think I could survive that.” He laughed bitterly and shook his head, giving her an apologetic smile. “So, uh, no pressure I guess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mae trailled her thumb along his jaw, his facial hair rough against her skin. She looked him over, taking in each bruise, each faded scar and wrinkle. He was waiting patienly, watching her as she touched each mark that put together the remarkable man that still held on to her tightly. She hurt when she thought about Steve and Bucky, and it wasn’t going to be something that went away soon. Tony couldn’t be a replacement, and Mae didn’t want him to be. Tony was something else, he was bright and new and he really did make her happy. He made her want to </span>
  <em>
    <span>be</span>
  </em>
  <span> more. Mae inched closer, his arms tightening around her as his eyes widened a fraction with ill-concealed hope.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kiss me again.” Mae said and he grinned, giving in to her demands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m never going to say no to that.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Another Chapter!</p><p>Let me know what you think, this story could go a few different ways right now.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“Okay, Buck,” Steve said, reaching out to take his hand. “We’ll do it your way.”</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The trees passed them quickly, flashes of green and gold blurring together as Happy sped up along the thoroughfare. Next to Mae, Tony was trying to hide a smile, his hand covering his mouth and fingers fidgeting with his beard. He glanced at Mae and then looked out the window again before glancing back again, catching Mae’s curious expression. He looked away again and Mae chuckled, letting him know that she had caught him out on his behaviour.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” He asked with a laugh, wearing a lazy, brilliant smile as he tilted his head back and gave her his full attention. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tony, you’re up to no good.” Mae said teasingly as Tony tried to act innocent. He was practically buzzing with excitement, his legs bouncing where he sat and his fingers drumming a rhythm on his knee. Happy looked up at them from the driver’s seat, catching Mae’s eyes in the rear view mirror, he smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling before he turned his attention back to the road.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What, I can’t be happy?” Tony asked in mock protest and Mae laughed, earning a wink from him. Tony had been in a good mood since the night they kissed a few weeks ago, humming while he worked and being his usual affectionate self. Mae had given him no end of teasing over it but she couldn’t lie and say she wasn’t feeling exactly the same. She had never thought that she would have been so happy with Tony, they were close sure, but she didn’t think he would have felt for her in that sense. It was something that was strangely right and she couldn’t put her finger on what it was. They had kissed and it was amazing, that night Tony said he wanted to wait a bit before they went any further and that was perfect, they ended up eating waffles at two in the morning and it was the best god damn waffles she’d ever had. Everything had been perfect so far, except for that lingering doubt in the pit of her stomach that Tony was going to get bored and leave.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re nervous and excited.” Mae said and reached out to grip his hand, stilling the tap tap tap against his leg. “I can read you like a book.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you’re far too good at it.” He said as he pressed a kiss against her knuckles. They had travelled towards Tony’s R&amp;D compound which Mae always thought was built for the Avengers before they split and within a couple of minutes the compound was in sight. However, they passed it and continued into a small wooded area, secluded despite being so close to the city. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They approached a large gate which began to open as they arrived. Tony squeezed her hand and got her attention.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Close your eyes.” He said excitedly and Mae giggled at how boyish he seemed. She closed her eyes, keeping her hand in his and feeling each time he shifted on his seat. When they came to a stop Tony asked her to stay put, quickly getting out of the car and moving around to open her door. He helped her out of the car and stood with his arm around her waist and his hand resting on the curve of her belly. “Alright, open.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mae opened her eyes and gasped. They were surrounded by woodland and standing in a clearing, facing a large modern house. The front had high tinted windows nestled in white walls, the rest of the building was clad in timber, tying it to the natural surroundings. Huge steps lead up to an ornately carved front door, the doors themselves were massive and wide enough to get the hulk through. All around the house were gardens and places to sit and relax and the whole picture was peaceful.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a house?” Mae asked, uncertain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>our</span>
  </em>
  <span> house.” Tony corrected her and Mae looked to him in confusion. She couldn’t picture Tony living outside of the tower, he loved that place. “I thought it’s about time we moved out of the tower. Too many memories and it wasn’t exactly designed with a family in mind, at least my penthouse wasn’t. I thought, given that there’s going to be an extra one of us soon, it was maybe time to move out and start making our own memories. Or… was I wrong?” Tony asked, uncertain as Mae bit her lip and looked to the ground. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was floored and a little overwhelmed. It was only a few weeks since she and Tony got together, and now he was asking her to move into a whole new place with him? The realisation hit her hard, regardless of what was happening in the world, Tony really didn’t believe that the Avengers would reform. If he had, he would have wanted to stay in the tower. But it was more than that, it was too fast and too much, a typically </span>
  <em>
    <span>Tony</span>
  </em>
  <span> thing to do.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um,” Mae said, trying her best to avoid his wide, worried eyes. That snarl of doubt was trying to make itself known again, trying to trick her into a million different dark thoughts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah,” Tony said as the reason for Mae’s hesitance formed in his mind. “We’ve not been together long. And I understand why you’d be hesitant about doing this, but I can give you a list of reasons why this is a good idea. One we won’t regret.” He watched her with wide, worried eyes, waiting for permission to continue, all Mae could do was nod. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, first, I know it’s only been a short time that we’ve been in a relationship, but I can say without a doubt I’ve completely fallen for you and have faith in us lasting the distance. It’s not some puppy love that can happen with anyone off the street, we’ve been friends for years and lab partners for just as long. You keep me strong and sane and I know when I’ve got a good thing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Second, the tower is </span>
  <em>
    <span>no</span>
  </em>
  <span> place for a baby. The security alone is nothing compared to what I’ve built here. We’re also close to the R&amp;D compound which you’ve wanted to put some time into for a while. Here, we are far from the media or anyone else wanting to interrupt our day, which I can’t say for a building that has hundreds of employees in it. And, as callous as it sounds, this will throw SHIELD off thinking the baby is anyone else’s. Even if we hadn’t gotten together, I still would have asked you to come live with me here, because it’s logical.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And third, I’ve put into contract that if you decide that you didn’t want to be with me, you’ll get the house. No strings attached.” Tony said and Mae looked to him with shock. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why would you do that?” She asked, dumbfounded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because I love you.” He said without reservation and Mae’s brain nearly flatlined at the words. “And I trust you. That’s a relationship to me, one that I know we can make work. And I’m sorry I come on too strong, I always do. I know that. Pepper yelled at me for days when I told her about this. But I want </span>
  <em>
    <span>our</span>
  </em>
  <span> family somewhere that is for us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tony-” Mae began uncertainly, her voice cracking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know the child isn’t mine,” Tony said with a hint of sadness. “But I don’t need to be biologically linked to know that I want to do the best that I can for the both of you. I want to be there, for all the- the shitty diapers and two A.M tantrums.” He smiled when Mae let out a small laugh. “And I want to be able to do that without the ghosts that living in the tower could bring. But… if it’s too much we can go back and give it more time, see how you feel after the birth. If this is something you don’t want at all, we can work with that too. I don’t want you to feel like this is an ultimatum, or that I’m pressuring you into something you’re not ready for.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You really want this.” Mae said, meeting his pleading eyes. She was still carrying that slither of doubt, that he’d decide one day that all the hassle wasn’t worth it. “You really want to be a family.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We already were a family.” He said, pulling her in close and kissing her. “I’m just giving us a space to grow in.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Remember the car?” Mae asked, reminding him of his first impractical gift years ago. He chuckled, nodding. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can’t send this present back on a truck.” He joked and she laughed with a shake of her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tony, you know what you just said, don’t you?” She asked and he paused, uncertain of what she was referring to. “You just told me you loved me.” Tony opened his mouth to talk but words faltered and became a chuckle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did, didn’t I?” He let out a sigh, but it was a happy one. “It’s true, I didn’t lie.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I… don’t think I can say it back, not yet.” Mae said breathlessly and he looked to her hand, bringing one up to kiss her knuckles. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t have to.” He said steadily. “I’m not a romantic fool, I know that relationships are far more complicated than just what we feel. I know you love Barnes and Rogers still and that it hasn’t been </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> long since they left. I’m also acutely aware that if they hadn’t left, I would still be on the sidelines with a schoolboy crush throwing myself into projects to distract me. I’m hurt that they left and angry that their leaving hurt you, but a big part of me is just so </span>
  <em>
    <span>happy</span>
  </em>
  <span> that I’ve been given a chance to be with you, so I don’t need to hear those words from you yet, but I’m not afraid to say them.” Mae smiled and reached up to cup his jaw, pressing a light kiss on his lips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know it’s stupid to say-” Mae began and let out a short sigh, Tony watched her patiently as she tried to gather all her snarling thoughts into one logical reason why she felt so oddly about it. It seemed like a big step, but in reality she was already sleeping in his penthouse most nights, even though they hadn’t done anything </span>
  <em>
    <span>more</span>
  </em>
  <span> than sleep. She worked by his side every day, she was already basically living with him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re already living together, working together. Right now we have only a few hours apart in a day. But this-” Mae gestured to the grand house as it seemed to loom over her. “This just seems like a huge step. And saying that you’d leave it to me if we don’t work out - Tony you </span>
  <em>
    <span>know</span>
  </em>
  <span> I wouldn’t accept it.” Tony frowned and nodded, looking to the ground mournfully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know your intentions are good,” Mae continued as she guided him to meet her eyes, stepping closer to get into his space and have his attention. “I know that there is nothing manipulative about this, you’re not trying to buy my love, </span>
  <em>
    <span>I know</span>
  </em>
  <span> that you thought this over and genuinely think it’s a good idea so I’m not going to outright reject this. But you need to know I’m feeling a bit apprehensive about it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s too much.” He said softly and Mae scrunched her nose, tilting her head and trying to think of words that wouldn’t make him feel any worse. “It’s okay, I can take it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a lot.” Mae said and he gave her a half-hearted smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When I got word the house was nearly completed, I did lose my mind a bit.” Tony admitted. “I just saw so much… potential? I guess. And you know I can’t let an idea sit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“All too well,” Mae teased him and he laughed lightly, a bit of tension easing from his shoulders. Mae looked at the house again, her nerves slipping away as they talked. It did address a few of her fears, the tower being such a big target one of them. That was something that had lingered since she had found herself shot up in the vents of the tower. And it would be nice to have a bit of distance from the media, the storm of journalists hadn’t settled yet, not since they got confirmation about their relationship. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Potential, huh?” Mae said and Tony smiled, taking her up on her offer to talk about his plans.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There are two floors below ground,” Tony said as he pulled her close, wrapping her arms around her and cuddling her from behind as he rested his chin on her shoulder. “One is a garage, because neither of us would function without cars to tinker with. Then there is a lab, currently empty because I thought it would be nice to design it with you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You must be serious if you’re letting me get all up in your lab space.” Mae teased and he grinned, pressing a kiss to her temple.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ve been invading my lab space for years, I had to give in eventually.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So there is still construction to do,” Mae said, the knowledge soothing her. It wasn’t such an abrupt change if that was the case.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Interiors, a couple electrics.” Tony said, catching on to her thoughts. “I want to get in and review the security again, make sure everything is up to my standard. Then there is getting all the furniture, the stuff at the tower is getting old. If you want to change up the walls or the floors we can do that too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then we’d have to pack up the tower.” Mae said and he hummed in agreement. “If you had to give a timeframe-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Absolute minimum would be a month.” Tony said confidently. “If we made every decision this week, it would still take that long to get in. So there’s no rush on any of this.” Mae nodded, finally relaxing fully. “Then we’ve got the other rooms to consider, I had guest rooms built but they’ve already been claimed by Pepper and Rhodey, so I gave in and said they could do whatever they wanted with those rooms and just built more.” Mae snorted an indelicate laugh, of course half the house would already be claimed by their friends.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” Mae said and let out a steady breath, nodding her head as Tony watched her closely. “All things considered, I’m okay with this. But you’re tearing up that stupid contract. If we ever fall out, I’m going to burn those bridges, not steal your house.” Tony laughed, leaning in close and kissing her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Deal,” Tony said, his eyes sparkling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can we go inside?” Mae asked, her curiosity starting to get the better of her. Tony’s expression melted into something coy, as if there was more. Mae knew that look well, but it usually manifested when she finished a project and Tony wanted to add something last minute that was impractical or over the top. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There is something else,” he said with a hint of guilt, “but now I’m not sure if it’s another case of me being too much.” Mae sighed, but wore a smile, finding him too endearing to really be frustrated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is it?” She asked in a deadpan voice. Tony pulled a hesitant expression before reaching into his jacket, pulling out a flat box the size of her palm. He gave her a soft smile and she took it carefully, the box itself made from metal and surprisingly heavy. She opened it, the lid lifting on its hinge to show a velvet interior with a pendant inside. Mae’s eyes went wide, the pendant was what looked like a light blue gem the length of her thumb and as wide, cut into a rectangle and set in silver. It was beautiful. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, wow, Tony-” Mae said and he chuckled, she lifted it from the box carefully to look closer and that’s when she noticed the slight vibration coming from it. She paused, glancing at Tony with a considering frown, his innocent smile still there. Looking closely, she noticed the faint light in the gem, and then she noticed something she saw nearly every day. “This is an arc reactor-” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” he said simply and Mae looked at the silver closely.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is a-” It was a housing for nano-tech, she worked on them nearly every day and couldn’t believe she didn’t pick it up right away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is this-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A suit?” Tony asked and Mae looked up with a shocked expression. “Yes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mae’s mind went a million places at once and she knew she looked as dumbfounded as she felt. Tony couldn’t hold back his grin, enjoying her reaction.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Mae said, her rational mind catching up, “you can’t fit enough material in something this small for a suit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“True,” Tony admitted, “I modified it so there aren’t any weapons, nothing bulky. It’s meant for emergencies, for if you need to get out of a situation quickly. It’ll take a few bullets, but then the integrity of the suit starts to wane. You’ll have repulsors and Jarvis, who will send a distress call out, but nothing else. It activates when you press the pad of your middle finger on the back of the pendant.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tony, this is incredible.” Mae said, her voice light with excitement. She had played with a few prototype suits in the past but nothing more than that. “But why-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t want to analyse it too much,” Tony said steadily, “but the thought of the people close to me getting hurt because of my vocation puts me on edge. I made one for Pepper too, she wasn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>quite</span>
  </em>
  <span> as excited as you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure she was on the inside.” Mae said and clutched the pendant, raising up on her toes and kissing him. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close to drag out their kiss, letting it fade languidly as they settled into an embrace. “Can I try it now?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You want a flying lesson now?” Tony laughed and shook his head. “Have I created a monster?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A </span>
  <em>
    <span>flying</span>
  </em>
  <span> monster.” Mae corrected him and squeaked excitedly when he rolled his eyes sarcastically and shucked off his jacket, tapping his arc reactor to activate his suit.<br/></span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve sat on the motel bed, rubbing at his temple and willing a headache to stop gaining momentum. Bucky was over by the small table, tapping on a laptop and keeping up the surveillance on multiple targets, including Stark Industries. Steve thought daily that he was lucky to have Bucky with him, not just because he loved him, but also because Bucky was an operative, a spy, someone who could work magic with technology. Steve just considered himself a dumb soldier, good for taking a punch and not much else.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The television was flickering in the corner, the sound muted. It was some kind of entertainment program that was always popular on daytime television, Steve never paid much attention to those programs, it just wasn’t something he was interested in. He glanced at the screen, grimacing when it cut to a video of Tony and Mae walking along the street hand in hand, Tony waving at the paparazzi with ease and Mae looking quite uncomfortable with the attention. Steve’s stomach clenched with nerves and he looked away from the screen, it was images like that that had been stopping him from getting a good night’s sleep lately. Not the usual cold and war, but two people in a seemingly happy relationship.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Steve,” Bucky said as he frowned at his laptop, pulling Steve out of his progressively darker thoughts. “Come look at this.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve stood up from the edge of the motel bed and wandered over, slightly leaning over Bucky’s shoulder as he peered at what seemed to be a list of invoices for Stark Industries. It listed removalists, packers, truck hire and more. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tony is moving the labs?” Steve asked curiously. So far, keeping tabs on Hydra had been easy because their targets of the technology they wanted or someone who knew about it was all in the one location. If either one of those targets was moved then it would mean that Steve and Bucky would have to watch two locations, ultimately expending more effort and giving risk to missing something crucial.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think so.” Bucky shook his head. “There’s accounts for tradesmen, landscapers, things that wouldn’t be related to moving a lab. There’s no hazardous transport either.” Steve frowned and took another look at the invoices, they were all within the same timeframe, booked for a month from now. The transport was within the city limits too, according to the cost.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The house.” Steve said with a hint of realisation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What house?” Bucky asked, looking up at Steve from where he sat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A year ago Stark started building a house near one of his compounds.” Steve said, his mind dredging up details from an off-hand conversation long ago. “Said it was a fail safe in case something happened to the tower. The security was meant to be almost infallible.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So he’s not moving the lab.” Bucky said with a sigh. “He’s moving himself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And taking Mae with him.” Steve said quietly, letting out a long breath of air as his mind whirred in different directions. He stepped away, slowly pacing the small room and rubbing at the back of his head. If Tony and Mae went to the house it would be good for their protection, given the better security, but it would also be harder for himself and Bucky to get into the system. It was already hard enough with Jarvis, at the new location it would become near impossible. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The other part of his mind, the part that wasn’t constantly focused on the mission, was whirling with questions of </span>
  <em>
    <span>why</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Why would Tony choose to go to the house instead of staying at the tower? It’s not like the tower wasn’t still safe. It’s not like there wasn’t enough space for them. The only thing Steve could logically think of was that the move had something to do with his newfound relationship with Mae. He was taking her from the last place that she had been with himself and Bucky in, a fresh start, far from any lingering memories of what they once had. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve felt a surge of anger spill over and he picked up a nearby lamp, hurling it at the silent television that had dared show him the happy couple earlier. The lamp clipped the television, rocking it back but ultimately leaving it unscathed. The lamp however, smashed into the wall, it’s porcelain base shattering loudly. Steve instantly felt guilty, it wasn’t like him to have those kinds of angry outbursts and it left him feeling drained. Bucky didn’t say anything about the lamp, but that put Steve on edge more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You haven’t said anything about it yet.” Bucky said and Steve frowned at the change in conversation, pausing in his tracks to see Bucky turned in his chair, his metal arm resting on the back of it as Bucky watched him closely.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“About what?” Steve asked, wary about the careful way Bucky watched him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The baby being yours. You haven’t mentioned a word about it since that night.” Steve winced, that night had been haunting him. Tony’s god damn smug smile as he told him that he would be raising Steve’s child kept playing around in his head, catching him off guard at the worst times. “Doesn’t it matter to you?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It </span>
  <em>
    <span>does,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Buck,” Steve protested, “we went through hell to be together-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then why are you acting like she doesn’t exist anymore?” Bucky’s voice wasn’t as hostile as it had been of late, it was sad. Somehow that was worse.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Because it’s too much.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Steve hissed and paced away, running his hand through his hair angrily. The wall he’d built to hold back his emotions was threatening to break, like a rising tide in his gut. “I </span>
  <em>
    <span>miss</span>
  </em>
  <span> her, it’s like- like someone’s carved out my chest and just left it open to rot. And now there’s a </span>
  <em>
    <span>baby</span>
  </em>
  <span> that the whole world believes is Stark’s, it’s one thing on another and another and-” Steve took a long, shuddering breath, raising his hand to his eyes as he composed himself. “I don’t mean to seem like an asshole, I </span>
  <em>
    <span>do</span>
  </em>
  <span> care about her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bucky paused, taking in Steve’s words with a sigh. “Why didn’t you talk to me about this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve laughed breathlessly, shaking his head and staring at the floor. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“C’mon, Buck, talking isn’t our strong point.” Steve closed his eyes, head bowed and looking exhausted. “I just- I need to focus. I feel like every day I’m losing the both of you more, and the best way to get us all back together is by </span>
  <em>
    <span>finishing</span>
  </em>
  <span> what we started. I want to be a family with you both, but it wouldn’t feel right unless we come out the other side of this with our voices heard.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You really think she’s still going to be around by the time you get what you want?” Bucky asked disdainfully and Steve knew the answer. No, she wouldn’t be. And he couldn’t blame her for that. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d like to,” Steve said and laughed derisively at himself, at his own blind ignorance as he sat heavily on the edge of the bed again. “I’d like to think that our love is this fantastical, transcendent force that will stay strong despite us being away.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This isn’t a fantasy, Steve,” Bucky said, “you didn’t go off to war and have a wife waiting for your return. We left in the middle of the night. If you had done that to Peggy, do you think she would have taken it well?” Steve scoffed and shook his head, hiding his face in his hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She would have killed me. Hunted me down and made me apologise for being a bastard.” Steve chuckled sadly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mae still might.” Bucky said and smiled to himself, thinking of her. “In this plan of yours, if everything goes the way you want, how do you see us all? The Avengers, Mae, everyone?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-” Steve began then paused. In honesty he hadn’t wanted to think on it yet, without knowing the outcome of their actions he couldn’t speculate on if the team would get back together. He wanted to, he missed all of them, but he could understand if they didn’t want that. No doubt they blamed him. “I guess I thought it would be a lot like before.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bucky cringed and gave him a knowing look. “Love, you know it’s not likely to happen?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We always had our differences as a team, but we pulled together when it counted. Like when you and Nat were fighting for a week then had to pair up against Doom, it didn’t matter that you two were pissed at each other when it came down to the wire.” Steve said but Bucky’s expression didn’t change, he clearly wasn’t convinced. “I don’t know, Buck, what do you want me to say?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I want you to say you’re going to start fighting for her.” Bucky said flatly. “It’s not going to magically go back to how it was, you’re going to need to make an effort to show her that you still love her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s with Stark.” Steve said flatly and Bucky threw his hands up in frustration.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s bullshit Steve and you know it!” Bucky protested. “You didn’t give a shit when she was with me, you still made your feelings known and I was your best friend. Why would you falter because of a guy like Stark? You hate the guy!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>hate</span>
  </em>
  <span> him.” Steve hissed back, but there was little heat to his protest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well then I have no clue what your relationship with him is, because in the diner you were fixing to kill the guy.” Bucky shook his head, standing and closing the short distance between them to put his hand on the blonde’s shoulder, getting his attention. “Look, it’s not a case of saving the damsel in distress, because we both know that Mae and Tony could make each other happy. What we need to do is let her know we’re still here, we’re still thinking of her.” Steve nodded his head dumbly. Bucky had been saying this exact thing for a while, perhaps it was time that Steve started listening. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, Buck,” Steve said, reaching out to take his hand. “We’ll do it your way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Finally.” Bucky sarcastically drawled and squeezed Steve’s hand. “It’s going to be alright, Steve. We’ll make it right.” Steve gave Bucky a weak smile, not truly feeling that it was the case. He had done so much damage already, he couldn’t see how any of it could be fixed. But he needed to try. It was worth it.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Tony tried his best to school his expression, now fast turning into something of mirth. His mouth twisting as he resisted a smile, he hummed and nodded his head as he agreed. Mae’s scrunched up face of frustration funnier than it should be to him. </p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Tony sat at the desk in his office and fiddled with a fountain pen. The pen was black with a streak of silver, a gift from his parents for his graduation years ago. The sunlight was reflecting off the line of metal, shining in his eyes for the briefest moment before skittering away. He really wasn’t getting much work done today.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Papers slid onto the surface of the desk and it broke him from his dazed thoughts. He looked up to see Pepper in a powder pink blazer and skirt, a small smile on her face as she put a cup of coffee down on the desk in front of him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Already have a pen in your hand. Perfect.” Pepper said with a smile and Tony dragged his eyes down to the paper in front of him, a contract for a research facility in India, and began to skim over the words. Pepper hovered for a moment, checking her phone absently as Tony signed the pages he knew he had to, before letting out a short sigh and looking Tony over with a critical eye.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How are things going? With Mae?” Pepper asked as she smoothed her skirt, Tony glanced up at the movement before looking back down at the contract she had handed him. He could read the words but they weren’t registering in his brain anymore, too distracted by far. Strangely enough, he was distracted by the woman that Pepper was asking about, and her question didn’t help pull his thoughts from the rolling questions that were settling in his mind. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He had told Pepper about Mae almost immediately, the next morning in fact. He was excited, giddy about the new relationship he found himself in and uncharacteristically nervous. Of course Pepper would be the first person he told, she was his guiding star, the person who would always bring him down to Earth when he needed it. It had been a while since then, and Pepper was not short on giving him advice on the topic. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rhodey on the other hand had been over the moon. Ever since Mae pulled the two of them out of the lab in Miami, Rhodey had a strong level of respect for Mae. He saw her as someone who not only risked her own life for Tony, but somehow could handle his mischief as well. Tony just knew that Pepper and Rhodey were having long, in-depth conversations about the whole situation, and while a part of him wished it wouldn’t be weird if he could spy on those conversations, another part of him just didn’t want to know.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s… going.” Tony said and Pepper gave him a knowing look. It wasn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>the</span>
  </em>
  <span> look, but it was one that could easily escalate into it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I take it things aren’t at the level you expected yet.” Pepper’s words were a bit condescending and Tony did his best to ignore it. Pepper always had opinions, but he didn’t always want to listen. She came from a good place, always did, but sometimes her path to soliciting well meaning advice was long and arduous and Tony just didn’t have the patience for it. “You didn’t exactly give her much time to move on from the other two.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know,” Tony said lowly; almost in warning. He loved Pepper, but he didn’t exactly feel like talking about his current romantic interest with a previous one. “I’m trying to give her space in that regard.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“By asking her to do a major life change?” Pepper pointed out and Tony frowned. “You haven’t told her you love her yet, right?” Tony was silent, pointedly looking at the contract and trying to read it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why are these people giving out paper contracts? Didn’t Legal advise them to send through digital copies?” Tony said, trying to change the subject. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Jesus Christ, Tony.” Pepper sighed, knowing by his avoidance that he had. She sunk down in the chair across from his desk, giving him a tired expression that she reserved for moments like this. Tony resisted the urge to fidget under her gaze, it hadn’t been that long ago that he had said those exact words to Pepper, and now she was gearing up to give him advice on his latest relationship. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Go on, Pep,” Tony said with a sigh that screamed false bravado, “let it out, everything you want to say.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you </span>
  <em>
    <span>sure</span>
  </em>
  <span> about this, Tony?” Pepper asked for what seemed like the tenth time that week. “I love Mae, you know I do, and she’s one of the few people I’d trust in your life, but-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But she had a storybook romance with two heroes who could come back at any time.” Tony finished for her. “And I’m pushing too hard and too fast for someone who’s probably not ready to commit to a big picture scenario. You don’t have to say it again, you or Rhodey.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re moving in together so quickly-” Pepper began.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ve already lived together for years.” Tony countered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You could lose the house-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>If</span>
  </em>
  <span> she ever accepted it from me, I’d build another.” Tony retorted again and Pepper levelled a glare at him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What if you’re happy together, and then Bucky and Steve come back?” Pepper asked and this time Tony didn’t have a reply. “What if they come home and promise her the life she was ready to have with them?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t let her go without a fight.” Tony said calmly. “I know I’m not </span>
  <em>
    <span>them</span>
  </em>
  <span>, I’m not going to pretend that I am, but I would at least stay long enough to to try and convince her to stay with me. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span> wouldn’t walk out on her in the middle of the night.” The way Tony said it with a bitter edge gave Pepper pause, she pursed her bright red lips and smoothed out her skirt again. “Mae knows that, she knows I wouldn’t skip out on her.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The way you talk, it’s like they walked out on </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Pepper said quietly and it was Tony’s turn to give a level stare.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They did.” He said. “The moment they left, they turned their backs on all of us.” Tony watched as Pepper nodded, her perfectly manicured nails pushing back a strand of hair from her face. She was always put together well, if nothing else she was unflappable in her image.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They hurt you, are you sure this isn’t some kind of...” Pepper waved her hand, an expression of apology as she said the words, “revenge?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Revenge.” Tony said flatly, all pretense of the friendly conversation gone. “You think I’m with Mae because I want to get revenge on them.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe it isn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> that wants revenge.” Pepper said and Tony laughed short and bitter. “You can’t say it didn’t cross your mind.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That I’m a rebound.” Tony said again and Pepper looked to the table between them at the contract. Tony flung the pages open to the last paper and signed it hastily before sliding the file across the table to her roughly. He stood then, his chair rolling back from the force of his movement, turning to the window and looking out at the view with his hands in his pockets. “You can go.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tony,” Pepper said with an apologetic sigh, “I didn’t mean to upset you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“For someone who didn’t have that intention, you certainly got the result.” He snarked back and heard when Pepper stood, her heels clicking on the ground as she moved closer to him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You mean well, you always do.” Pepper said quickly before he could tell her to go again. “But that doesn’t mean everyone else has the same good intentions. People you’ve trusted have hurt you before, I just… I worry about you.” Tony winced, he didn’t need the reminder of the people who broke his trust before, it was a rare day that he didn’t think of them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Please go, Ms Potts.” Tony said quietly and Pepper sighed. He knew she had meant well and maybe she had a good point or two that he should take on board, but he didn’t want to hear it. Not now. Instead he listened to the sound of her footsteps retreating until it was silent in the room. Tony continued to watch the view, his thoughts racing but not focusing on anything in particular. Pepper didn’t have to mention all of her concerns, he had them himself at times, but he supposed Pepper did have to voice them to clear her own conscience, to at least have her worries heard.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Am I crazy, J?” Tony asked quietly and the AI replied in the exact way he expected.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That is debatable among your peers and critics, shall I put together a general analysis for you, sir?” Jarvis said and Tony chuckled, loosening his tie and running a hand through his neat hair. “However, if you are referring to your relationship with Miss Taylor, perhaps it would be a logical decision to discuss your feelings with her?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“J,” Tony chuckled, shaking his head. The AI was right, it always was.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She is located in Captain Rogers’ room.” Jarvis said and Tony stiffened, a thrill of worry trailing up his spine. She almost never went in there anymore, why would she be in </span>
  <em>
    <span>his</span>
  </em>
  <span> room now? “I believe your presence would be beneficial.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shit.” Tony swore to himself, Pepper’s words raising up and settling in his mind. “What is she doing in there?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Currently, she is sitting.” Jarvis said, giving Tony nothing to work with. Tony made an unintelligible noise and stood, heading- and almost rushing- for the elevator.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Mae </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> sitting, Tony discovered. She was sitting on the edge of the bed that she had once shared with Steve and Bucky, half filled boxes on the floor and a pile of photos in her hands. Tony paused at the doorway and forced himself to think rationally, his hands trailing along the doorframe until his knuckles rapped twice to announce his presence. Mae looked over her shoulder and saw him leaning against the frame, watching her with soft eyes and a small smile.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Jarvis told me you were here.” Tony said as he pushed away from the door and walked through a maze of boxes. He sat down beside her, seeing the photos of Steve and Bucky in her hands. “Are you alright?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I came in here to pack.” Mae said and her voice was thick. “Couldn’t stand the thought of strangers touching their stuff.” Tony paused for a moment, taking a long, steadying breath and pushing back the wave of anxiety that threatened.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure, I can understand that.” He said quietly, his fingers running nervously along the bedspread. “I packed all of Bruce’s stuff last night, I couldn’t sleep so-” Tony shrugged, putting his arm around her. Mae leaned into his touch, resting her head on his shoulder. He let out a long breath, closing his eyes for a brief moment and letting his thoughts race around his mind. Pepper’s concerns still rattling around in there, bouncing around like an unwanted omen. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you ever wake up and feel as though you’re on the back foot? Like you’re just not sure where things are going, that you can’t predict it.” Tony winced as soon as he said it, he didn’t intend to broach the subject like that, but his brain took over as usual. Mae didn’t respond straight away, but she slipped her hand into his and gave it a squeeze.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, sometimes.” Mae said softly and Tony swallowed thickly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is that us?” Tony asked, his voice rough. Mae pulled away from him so she could meet his eyes. “Am I putting too much pressure on us? Or am I hoping for something that’s not going to happen?” Mae looked him over with a frown, but the lack of an instant dismissal of his fears had them building heavily in his chest. “I’m needy, I know. And I don’t want to come across as someone who needs constant reassurance, but there’s a lot of, well, history-” Tony cupped her hand that held a photo loosely, it was a neat, pre-mission scene that showed the Avengers as they used to be. Tony’s chest tightened at seeing it. “And I can understand the impact that history will have.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mae swallowed and shook her head, putting the photo on the bedside table on top of others before shifting to face him. Her fingers fidgeted for a moment before she raised them to cup both sides of his jaw, pads of her thumbs lightly tracing along his five o’clock shadow. Tony could see a deep well of sadness in her eyes, it had been there for months, he realised. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tony-” her voice was soft and Tony’s fears rose again. </span>
  <em>
    <span>This is it</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he thought to himself, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Pepper was right.</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mae-” He whispered and his voice cracked, he was barely holding composure.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> a rebound.” Mae said firmly and Tony blinked, those weren’t the words he expected to hear.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s what you were worried about, wasn’t it?” Mae asked flatly, bluntly, like the woman he knew before all the drama began and he just stared back with a dumbfounded look on his face. She laughed lightly and pressed a soft kiss to his lips that were parted in a little bit of shock.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The thought had occurred to me,” Tony said quietly against her lips, “I guess I shouldn’t have been worried.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re allowed to be.” Mae said and he slipped his arms around her waist, holding her close. Mae let her hands run down and along his shoulders, resting on his biceps. “But I like that you asked me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I only dwelled on it for like, three days.” Tony said teasingly with a shrug.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m impressed.” Mae laughed before looking around at the room of half full boxes, she had already packed a lot of Steve and Bucky’s clothes which was hard enough, but upon seeing the photos so neatly placed in the bedside drawer it had ground her production to a halt. “I’ve been struggling, the last few days.” Mae said softly and Tony automatically held her tighter to comfort the both of them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tell me.” He said softly and Mae gave him a smile that could have either been a self-deprecating apology or just exhaustion. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, it’s probably the hormones or-” Mae shook her head and Tony just waited patiently, watching as she met his eyes then gave in. “I’ve been thinking about them more lately, the closer we get to the move. At first it was just memories, stupid things like reading on the couch together. Now, sometimes when I wake up, I forget they’re not here.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You miss them.” Tony said softly, he could understand that, and he certainly wasn’t going to let any spike of jealousy rear its ugly head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I do,” Mae let out a frustrated sigh, frowning as she closed her eyes. “I’m also so </span>
  <em>
    <span>angry.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” She growled the last word, Tony failing to hide his surprised expression at her outburst. “I came in here to pack, so it could all go into storage, then I found the photos and got sad again but then- urgh!” Mae scrunched her hands into fists, hitting the bedspread hard with one of them and messing the smooth lines of the quilt. “I could hit them, you know.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tony tried his best to school his expression, now fast turning into something of mirth. His mouth twisting as he resisted a smile, he hummed and nodded his head as he agreed. Mae’s scrunched up face of frustration funnier than it should be to him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I mean,” Mae continued, fired up, “I might not be a spy, or a super soldier or a genius. But I can handle a little bit of truth. They should have </span>
  <em>
    <span>told </span>
  </em>
  <span>me they were going instead of being pre-war, old fashioned </span>
  <em>
    <span>assholes </span>
  </em>
  <span>and keeping me in the dark. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Again!</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re right.” Tony said, his arms around her waist about all that was anchoring her to the bed. “You could handle all of us at our worst, you're not a damsel in distress.” Mae’s anger deflated at that, Tony letting out a huff of exertion as she bodily leaned into him and gave up on holding herself up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you.” She said, mumbling into his collarbone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And for what it’s worth, I think you should keep the photos out.” Tony said and Mae leaned back to give him a suspicious look, unsure why he would want photos of her ex-boyfriends around. “It’s not a bad thing to remember what was good in the past, or the lessons learned. Not all of it was bad.” Tony picked up the group photo of the Avengers, a small smile on his face. “Some of it was fucking fantastic.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mae watched as a bout of regret played on his expression, she felt embarrassed at her outburst all of a sudden. After all, she wasn’t the only one who lost people. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah,” she agreed quietly and Tony gave her a warm smile that could melt steel. “It was a good time.” She shook her head, looking around at the mess of boxes she had created in the almost unrecognisable room. “I think I’ve had enough packing for one day.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What would you like to do instead, warrior princess?” Tony asked and Mae giggled at the name. “You’ve got another week before we move,” Tony said and kissed her neck lightly. “Take a break. Couch? Movie?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Aren’t you supposed to be in the office?” Mae asked, it was the middle of the day after all.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I signed papers. It was exhausting.” He pouted and Mae couldn’t help but smile and roll her eyes. She could have sworn he was allergic to paperwork. “I need recuperation. On the couch.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Mae awoke in the middle of the night, it was warm and she was acutely aware of how uncomfortable she was. She was a side sleeper now, the baby making it hard to be anything else. She let out a quiet sigh and shifted, ready to have a quiet, internal tantrum.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Jarvis, drop the temperature, make it cold in here.” Tony said in a sleepy voice before rolling over and pressing a kiss to Mae’s shoulder. “Come here,” he whispered as cold air began to filter into the room. Mae hummed and he grabbed a pillow from the far side of the bed, fitting it to support her leg as he shifted her knee to hook up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’re you doing?” Mae asked as he pulled the quilt up, almost building a nest around them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I read something a while back about this, supposed to help you be comfortable.” He said before settling behind her and gently pressing his thumbs into the small of her back, massaging out towards her hips. Mae let out a long, happy sound that she didn’t know she could do and Tony chuckled behind her. He continued on, lazily working out the tension in her lower back, eyes closed and half asleep. But Mae was awake, </span>
  <em>
    <span>very</span>
  </em>
  <span> awake, and her hormones were deciding to have a riot. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As a couple, they had been decidedly chaste. A lot of kissing and flirting so far had resulted in nothing more. Mae knew it was because Tony was adamant about letting her sort out her many contradicting emotions about the last months, but right now all her emotions were pointing in one direction and it was starting to get the best of her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mae took his hand in hers, pulling his arm to wrap around her waist. The room was cold now and she snuggled beneath the blanket, her back pressing against his chest. He shifted, pulling her closer, and Mae could feel that he wasn’t exactly disappointed in being so close together.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tony,” she whispered, turning her head to kiss his jaw lightly. He stirred and ran his hand along her waist, open palm caressing her ribs and sending a thrill along her skin. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hmm?” he cracked an eye open, and even in the dark Mae could see the mischief in it. “What’s wrong?” His hand slipped down along her side again and Mae arched with it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I was thinking, maybe,” Mae said quietly and Tony moved, pressing his length against her, she pressed back automatically, a small needy sound escaping her throat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You were thinking?” He urged and she almost huffed in frustration. As if her neediness wasn’t enough of a clue for him, he was being a tease and he knew it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Touch me,” she said and he moaned, his hand skirting tantalizingly low on her abdomen before coming up and intertwining with her hand, resting them away from them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not yet.” He said and Mae looked at him, his eyes were closed but he was wearing a smug smile, the bastard. He pressed a kiss to her shoulder and settled against the line of her body. “Go to sleep.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She slept. Eventually.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s it!” Tony called out from across the empty workshop. “That’s the last thing packed.” Tony entered a code and pressed his thumb to a biometric scanner on the box, securing it ready for transport in the morning. Mae leaned against the now empty bench that was once Tony’s desk, flashing him a smile as he looked around triumphantly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Aside from the kitchens, the living areas-” Mae began.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, no-” Tony said loudly to halt her words as he strode over to her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The bathrooms, the common areas-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, stop, no-” Tony said and grinned as he scooped her up, making her laugh loudly before he sat her on the desk. “There are people for that, </span>
  <em>
    <span>other </span>
  </em>
  <span>people.” He said and Mae shot him a skeptical expression before it gave way to another smile. “I hate to sound egotistical-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No you don’t.” Mae teased and he shot her a look this time as she giggled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“-</span>
  <em>
    <span>but</span>
  </em>
  <span>, in business terms, our time is worth quite a bit.” Tony said and kissed her hand, keenly aware of Mae’s legs that was hooking behind his thighs as she pulled him closer. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So how much am I costing the company, keeping you distracted like this?” Mae asked sweetly as she hooked a finger in his collar, making him bend over and brace each hand against the desk.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let’s not talk about it,” he rasped, his lips close to hers. “You’ll summon the accountants.” He closed the distance between them, letting out a soft moan as they kissed. Slipping her arms around his neck she held him close, revelling in the way he clutched onto her tightly, one hand on the small of her back and another scooping up her thigh to hook around his hip. They had been sharing a room now for weeks and Mae was absolutely convinced that Tony was teasing her every chance he got. It was driving her mad.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know,” Tony whispered as he kissed her neck, pulling small whimpers from her. “I’ve thought about this, about you on my desk.” His voice was rough, rasping and driving her wild. The thought of him bending her over the desk made her blush embarrassingly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No time like the present.” Mae gasped as he bit lightly, chuckling against her skin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know what I really want to do?” Tony rasped, his breath making her tingle along her shoulders. “More than anything?” Mae hummed, a smile on her lips as he pressed closer. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tell me,” she said, her hand in his hair as he looked up at her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Review the security on the house one last time.” He said flatly and Mae stilled, giving him a confused look. Tony stepped back with a serious look on his face. “It has to be perfect before we move in, I’m going to look it over again.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Really?” Mae asked, a bit dumbfounded. But sure enough, he pulled away and began talking to Jarvis, finding a tablet on a bench and sitting down to look at plans. Mae slipped down from the bench with a huff, counting to ten very slowly. </span>
  <span>“He’s going to kill me.” Mae muttered to herself as she watched Tony argue with Dum-E who was shaking a forgotten spool of copper wire at him. “This is how I die. Out of sheer frustration.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Oh my days. An update?!</p>
<p>So I got distracted and started to write an alternative to this part of the series which is quite a bit more action packed and goes along a very different path. I'm debating if I'll post it up - if you're interested in it let me know and I might post it as a part 4.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>